THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


£iLMUiCOLU.Cii 


THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 


TALE  I  REBELLION. 


By    REV.    HOMER    WHITE 

AUTHOR    OF    "'THE    CAPTIVE    BOY,"  ETC. 


ST.  ALBANS,  VT.: 

PUBLISHED  BY  ALBERT  CLARKE 

1878 


hiui.-i._n  according  iht  >i_.-i  1-....  bj 

.    'Am  1 .    and  _\ ;  i. .--..-   Clarke, 
■  Librarian  -.!  ('■■ 


THE  NORWICH   CADETS, 


CHAPTER   I 


INTRODUCTORY. 


HE  only  military  school  of  which  Vermont  can 
Jboast,  or  over  could  boast,  with  the  exception 
.of  that  peripatetic  school  in  which  Ethan  Allen 
fand    Seth  Warner  were   professors,  is   Norwich 

i  University. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  after  any  war  the 
people  who  have  been  engaged  in  it  evince  a 
decided  taste  for  military  knowledge.  After  the 
occasion  has  passed  which  called  for  such  knowledge,  they 
set  about  perfecting  themselves  in  the  art  of  war.  In  their 
fresh  ardor  they  found  military  schools  and  organize  volun- 
teer regiments  with  a  patriotic  determination  to  be  pre- 
pared for  the  next  struggle.  But  after  a  while  men  get 
tired  of  drilling,  and  as  the  quiet  time  of  peace  is  pro 
longed  they  lose  their  interest  in  martial  show,  and  the 
next  war  in  which  they  are  called  to  engage  finds  them 
again  a  nation  of  shopkeepers  and  farmers,  equally  ignor- 
ant of  military  tactics  and  of  the  principles  and  practice 
of  gunnery.  Such  was  eminently  our  situation  at  the  be 
ginning  of  the  late  rebellion.  At  its  close,  when  the  danger 
was  past,  we  began,  according  to  this  tendency  of  nature 
which  I  have  spoken   of,  to   beat   our  pruning  hooks  into 


603311 


4  THE    NORWICH    CADETS : 

spears  and  to  learn  war  some  more.  Now,  in  consequence 
of  this  and  of  our  late  experience  in  war.  we  are  as  a  peo- 
ple fairly  versed  in  military  science,  but  probably  by  the 
time  we  shall  need  this  knowledge  it  "will  be  numbered 
among  our  lost  acquirements. 

Norwich  University  was  the  product  of  the  post  bellum 
fever  induced  by  our  last  war  with  Great  Britain.  It  was 
established  in  the  year  1820.  Though  now  located  at  North- 
held,  it  was  first  and  for  many  years  in  the  town  and  village 
of  Norwich,  on  the  Connecticut  liver  and  opposite  Hanover, 
N.  H.,  the  seat  of  Dartmouth  College.  The  river  flowed 
between  the  two  institutions  of  learning,  but  they  were 
less  than  a  mile  distant  from  each  other.  The  first  head  of 
the  University  was  Capt.  A.  Partridge.  Its  course  of  study 
embraced  more  than  the  college  curriculum  generally  does, 
and  if  its  graduates  became  thoroughly  proficient  in  one 
half  of  the  things  they  were  expected  to  learn,  they  left  its 
walls  accomplished  soldiers.  The  institution  soon  became 
popular  and  flourishing,  and  attracted  pupils  from  nearly 
every  State  in  the  Union. 

Norwich  has  furnished  some  names  for  the  roll  of  fame 
— names  of  which  Vermont  is  and  ever  will  be  proud. 
High  among  these  stands  that  of  the  gallant  Ransom,  who 
was  at  one  time  president  of  the  University,  and  who  lost 
his  life  at  the  beginning  of  a  glorious  career  in  the  war 
with  Mexico. 

At  the  time  at  which  our  story  opens,  1S59,  the  Univer- 
sity, with  its  veteran  brick  walls  somewhat  weather-beaten, 
stood  as  the  most  prominent  object  in  the  quiet  village  of 
Norwich.  There  were  only  about  forty  cadets,  of  all  class- 
es at  the  University,  for  the  reason  that  the  country  had 
enjoyed  a  long  interval  of  peace,  and  a  knowledge  of  Har- 
dee's Tactics  was  not  considered  the  most  valuable  sort  of 
information  for  a  young  man  to  possess  in  beginning  the 
campaign   of  life.     Had  our   prudent  countrymen  foreseen 


A    TALE   OF    THE    REBELLION.  9 

the  nearness  of  the  rebellion,  the  University  would  doubt- 
less have  been  crowded  with  martial  youth  in  search  of  mar 
iial  knowledge. 

Most  of  the  cadets  were  Green  Mountain  boys  though 
there  were  some  from  distant  states,  but  all  were  youths  so 
fnll  of  war  instinct  that  the  most  profound  peace  could  not 
banish  their  dreams  of  war.  No  dress  seemed  to  them  so 
beautiful  as  the  army  bine  ;  burnt  powder  had  a  delightful 
odor ;  and  the  roar  of  guns  and  the  rattle  of  drums  were 
music  to  their  ears. 

There  are  such  men  everywhere,  born  soldiers,  who 
have  an  innate  scorn  of  peaceful  pursuits,  and  long  for  the 
clash  of  aims  and  the  din  of  battle ;  who  leave  the  plow 
field  for  the  "  field  of  honor"  with  all  the  alacrity  of  Put- 
nam, though  without  half  the  cause ;  men  who  make  war,  if 
they  do  not  find  it,  like  the  fierce  son  of  the  shrinking 
Werner  in  Byron's  tragedy.  Fallen  man  in  a  state  of  na- 
ture is  not  the  simple,  inoffensive  creature  which  Rousseau 
makes  him,  but  a  blood-thirsty  animal  delighting  in  carnage. 
He  makes  war  upon  all  other  creatures,  though  not  to  satis- 
fy the  demands  of  hunger,  and  even  destroys  those  of  his 
own  kind  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  shedding  blood. 

At  the  same  time  brave  men  who  have  a  passion  for 
arms  and  who  glory  in  battle,  often  possess  some  of  the 
noblest  traits  of  character.  Their  virtues  light  up  some 
pages  of  the  dark  history  of  war  and  conquest,  and  make 
their  battles  something  better  than  the  struggles  of  brutes 
or  the  strifes  of  fiends. 

Though  civilization,  in  its  refining  process,  has  taken 
the  courage  out  of  most  of  us,  we  have  still  enough  of  sav- 
age nature  left  in  us  to  feel  a  genuine  admiration  for  cour- 
age in  others.  Though  we  may  be  disinclined  to  adventure 
our  own  lives  by  walking  into  a  forest  of  bayonets,  even 
for  the  most  righteous  cause,  yet  the  most  cowardly  of  us 
all  respect  the  brave  man  and  admire  his  gallant  deeds. 


G  THE    NORWICH    CADETS: 

"  Peace  hath  her  victories  no  less  than  war,"  but  peace- 
is  tame  and  humdrum.  War  has  charms  of  a  more  exciting 
character,  and  the  bare  recital  of  its  deeds  has  power  to 
accelerate  the  pulse  of  the  most  determined  Quaker.  Wc 
read  the  war  chapters  of  a  nation's  history  with  the  great- 
est gusto,  and  we  delight  in  the  military  achievements  of 
the  world's  heroes  from  Ulysses  of  Ithaca  to  Ulysses  of 
Galena. 

During  the  late  civil  war  Norwich  University  sent  a 
larger  proportion  of  her  graduates  into  the  field  than  did 
any  other  college  in  the  country.  And  she  furnished  for 
the  volunteer  army  five  Major  Generals,  twenty-seven  Colo- 
nels and  a  large  number  of  officers  of  lower  grade.  They 
did  valiant  service  for  their  country,  and  we  believe  that  in 
reading  some  of  their  adventures  and  in  recalling  some  of 
the  events  of  the  great  struggle  for  the  Union,  we  shall  be 
doing  no  more  than  justice  to  the  heroism  of  our  gallant 
State,  while  we  incite  in  our  readers  a  deeper  love  of  their 
country  and  a  more  chivalrous  devotion  to  its  honor.  We 
may  not  convince  them  all  that  it  is  sweet  to  die  for  one's 
country,  but  they  will  at  least  feel  that  the  honors  showered 
upon  the  head  of  the  patriot-soldier  are  honors  well  de- 
served. 

In  1859  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bournes  was  President  of  Nor- 
wich and  had  been  so  for  ten  years.  He  was  a  man  of  peace 
by  profession  and  as  well  versed  in  canon  law  as  in  cannon 
balls.  It  may  seem  strange  that  a  military  academy  should 
have  a  clerical  head,  but  it  is  perhaps  well  to  maintain  an 
equilibrium  of  forces.  There  was  plenty  of  latent  lire 
among  the  cadets  and  they  were  ready  at  any  time  to  ex- 
plode, like  so  many  cans  of  nitro -glycerine ;  but  the  cassock 
generally  kept  the  mastery  of  the  Cossack,  and  the  science 
of  war  was  peacefully  pursued.  Certain  it  is  that  the  boys 
would  as  soon  have  thought  of  bearding  "  the  Douglass  in 
,  his  hall  "  as  the  "  Doctor  "  in  his  study. 


A    TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION  7 

But  the  strictest  order  did  not  always  reign  in  the  bar 
racks,  nor  was  it  always  quiet  on  the  Connecticut.     From 
time  immemorial,  that  is  to  say  from  the  foundation  of  iln 
University,  a  feud  had   raged  between   the  cadets  and  tin 
students  of  Dartmouth  college   across   the   river,  and  many 
raids  and  encounters   had   taken   place,  in  regard  to  which 
and  the  heroes  engaged  in  them,  tradition  had  much  to  say. 
The  cadets   were   inferior  in  numbers  to  their  classical  an 
tagoirists,  but  they  were  rilled  with  martial  ardor  and  utter 
ly  unwilling  to   admit  that  the   stylus  is  mightier  than  the 
sword.     The  prevailing  opinion  among   them   seemed  to  be 
that  Dartmouth  must  be  destroyed.     The  discipline  of  the 
University  prevented   the   attempt,  by  any   well   organized 
expedition,  to  accomplish   this  favorite   object,  but  it   was 
not  sufficient  to  restrain  individual  cadets  from  hostile  in- 
cursions into  the  enemy's  country.     Bristling  with  daggers 
and  revolvers   which  they  never  had  a   serious  thought  of 
using,  two  or  three  together  would  cross  the  river  at  night, 
either  by  the  bridge  or  by  boat,  and  parade   the  streets  of 
Hanover  or  penetrate    even  to    "  Tempe's  pleasant  vale 
with  a   marked   disregard  of   the  dangers  they  incurred. 
Frequently  they  succeeded  in  provoking  hostilities,  and  then 
they  displayed  the  gallantry  which  afterward  distinguished 
them  upon  larger  fields.     When  greatly  outnumbered,  as 
they  usually  were,  they  would  fall  back  to  the  river  with  a 
celerity  to  which   Xenophon's  famous  retreat  furnishes  no 
parallel.     If  they  found  the  bridge   disputed  they  took  to 
boats,  or  if  these   were  not  to  be  found,  a  flank  movement, 
up  or  down  the  river  to  a  fording  place,  was   executed  in  a 
masterly  manner,  and  the  barracks  gained  sometime  before 
reveille.     The  casualties  were  always  few,  but  the  fun  and 
glory  were  considerable. 


THE    NORWICH    CADETS 


CHAPTER    II. 


TOM    AND    BILL HOSTILITIES    WITH    DARTMOUTH    3TUDENTS- 

CONDONS    NAVAL    ENGAGEMENT. 


-MAT 


U  R  two  heroes,  wrho  were  chums  and  insep- 
arable companions,  were  known  and  always  des- 
ignated by  their  fellow  cadets  as  Tom  and  Bill. 
They  were  from  different  sections  of  the  Union, 
^and  the  opposites  of  each  other  in  personal  ap- 
pearance. They  had  been  born  and  reared  in 
very  different  circumstances  and  could  hardly  be 
expected  to  have  much  sympathy  the  one  with 
the  other,  or  to  care  for  a  very  close  fellowship  ;  but  the 
strong  bond  of  union  between  them  was  the  unshrinking 
courage  and  love  of  adventure  which  each  perceived  and 
appreciated  in  the  other.  They  were,  as  we  have  said, 
inseparable  companions,  and  they  were  also  devoted  friends. 
Tom  Lyon  was  the  son  of  a  Vermont  farmer  and  ac- 
customed to  labor  with  his  hands  without  being  at  all 
ashamed  of  it.  He  was  of  the  Anglo  Saxon  type,  brown 
hair,  blue  eyes  and  fair  skin.  Though  only  of  medium 
height  he  was  compactly  built,  with  muscles  like  bundles  of 
whip-cord,  and  by  far  the  strongest  man  at  the  University. 
This  fact  coupled  with  another,  equally  well-known,  that  he- 
had  never  been  seen  to  exhibit  fear  even  in  the  most  trying 
situations,  won  for  him  the  hearty  respect  and  admiration 
of  those  who  reverence  physical  strength  and  courage.    But 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  9 

he  bad  other  and  more  worthy  claims  to  respect ;  his  classi- 
cal attainments  were  not  inferior  to  those  of  the  average 
"junior"  on  the  other  side  of  the  river;  he  had  strong 
convictions  of  right,  was  honorable  and  high  minded, 
patriotic  and  true.  His  word  could  not  be  justly  questioned 
and  never  was  with  impunity.  Conlidcnce  reposed  in  him  was 
a  sacred  trust,  never  betrayed,  and  taken  altogether  he  was  a 
noble  specimen  of  the  Green  Mountain  Boy.  He  was,  how- 
ever, still  a  boy,  not  yet  twenty-one,  and  with  the  animation 
of  youth  he  had  also  some  of  its  follies. 

Bill  or  William  Wolfe,  our  other  hero,  was  the  son  of 
a  Georgia  planter  and  brought  up  in  aristocratic  idleness. 
He  was  of  slender  form,  with  dark  hair  and  eyes  and  swarthy 
complexion.  There  was  a  strain  of  Spanish  blood  in  his 
veins  and  he  had  that  adventurous  and  chivalrous  disposition 
which  distinguished  the  conquerors  of  Mexico  and  Peru. 
Restless,  and  always  longing  for  change  of  scene  and  excite- 
ment, his  wealthy  and  indulgent  father  had  permitted  him 
to  rove  at  will,  insisting  only  that  he  should  at  least  make 
a  pretence  of  seeking  an  education  ;  and  he  had  been  an 
inmate  of  several  Northern  as  well  as  Southern  schools  and 
colleges,  acquiring  in  his  perigrinations  a  considerable  fund 
of  book-knowledge  together  with  much  other  information. 
At  Norwich  his  liberality  and  his  various  accomplishments, 
among  which  was  skill  in  the  use  of  arms  and  of  the  less 
deadly  gloves,  quickly  made  him  a  favorite  among  the  cadets 
and  introduced  him  to  the  favor  and  friendship  of  Tom 
Lyon.  With  a  nice  sense  of  honor  and  a  haughty  temper, 
he  was  easily  offended,  and  then  there  was  observable  a 
nervous  twitching  about  the  eyes  and  a  growing  blackness 
of  the  face  which  betokened  mischief.  Very  quick  in  his 
movements,  much  stronger  than  he  appeared  to  be,  and 
recklessly  brave,  he  was  an  antagonist  not  lightly  to  be 
encountered.  There  was  no  one  at  the  University  who 
could  meet  him  with  any  chance  of  success,  with  the   ex- 

B 


10  THE   NORWICH    CADETS  : 

ception  of  his  sworn  friend  Tom  Lyon.  And  in  this  case  it 
was  the  superior  strength  of  the  North,  and  that  alone. 
Avhich  could  overcome  the  South. 

To  say  that  young  Wolfe  was  not  fond  of  hostile 
encounters  per  se  without  regard  to  the  occasion  of  them, 
would  be  untrue  ;  but  it  would  be  equally  untrue  to  say 
that  he  ever  sought  a  quarrel  when  the  advantage  was 
evidently  in  his  favor.  He  wras  too  nobly  brave  to  contend 
with  any  one  plainly  weaker  than  himself.  His  battles, 
which  were  numerous,  were  always  with  an  enemy  superior 
either  in  strength  or  numbers,  and  hence  he  usually  came 
out  of  them  severely  beaten.  But  no  amount  of  beating 
could  beget  in  him  a  love  of  peace.  He  w7as  a  born  con- 
troversialist, wrho  chose  the  sword  rather  than  the  pen  with 
which  to  present  his.arguments  and  convince  his  opponents. 

These  pictures  of  our  heroes  are  not  fancy  sketches, 
but  drawn  from  a  vivid  recollection.  We  may  not  all  ap- 
prove of  such  pugnacious  characteristics  as  I  have  delin- 
eated, but  we  know  that  they  exist,  and  that  there  would 
be  many  blank  pages  in  history  if  the  record  of  the  events 
proceeding  from  such  characteristics  were  to  be  blotted 
out.  We  shall  follow  our  heroes  to  more  noble  helds  of 
action  than  school-boy  quarrels,  and  it  will  be  seen  in  fiction 
as  it  is  to  be  found  in  fact,  that  those  who  love  war  for 
war's  sake  are  generally  those  who  excel  in  it,  and  that  in  a 
righteous  cause  the  instinct  for  battle  becomes  an  instru- 
ment of  good. 

It  wras  after  the  arduous  duties  of  a  summer's  day — 
recitations,  drill  and  the  evening  mess — that  Tom  and  Bill 
sat  in  what  they  called  their  den,  leisurely  engaged  in  filling- 
it  with  smoke  which  they  drew  from  a  couple  of  pipes. 
Occasionally  they  glanced  through  the  blue  atmosphere  at 
each  other,  apparently  waiting  for  a  suggestion  in  regard  to 
what  next.  Nothing  was  said  by  either  for  some  minutes, 
but  before  the  quiet  became  painful  it  was  disturbed  by  the 


\    TALE    Ml     TITF.    REBELLION. 


11 


sound  of  heavy  footsteps.  Then  the  door  was  pushed  open 
without  ceremony  and  in  stalked  the  gigantic  and  loud 
voiced  cadet,  Mat  Condon.  His  name  was  Martin  Van 
Buren,  but  it  was  familiarly  abbreviated  to  Mat.  His  head 
towered  over  six  feet  aloft  and  was  covered  with  long 
shaggy  yellow  hair,  giving  him  the  appearance  of  a  lion 
rampant,  He  prided  himself  upon  this  appearance  and  his 
prodigious  strength,  and  wished  to  be  regarded  as  another 
Cceur  de  Leon.  But  the  lion  heart  was  not  in  his  bosom, 
and  whenever  he  was  brought  to  the  test  he  was  sure  to  be 
discovered  like  the  fabled  ass  in  the  lion's  skin.  But  he  was 
the  poet  of  the  University,  and  had  written  and  could  sing 
in  a  roaring  manner  the  song  of  "  the  Old  South  Bar- 
racks, O,"  and  being  a  jolly  companion  and  perfectly  harm- 
less in  spite  of  his  mammoth  proportions,  he  was  patronized 
by  our  two  heroes  and  afforded  them  much  amusement. 

"  Hello  !  boys,  what  are  you  so  still  for?''  cried  the  new- 
comer as  he  planted  himself  in  the  centre  of  the  smoke- 
clouded  room,  like  Mt.  Mansfield  in  a  fog. 

"  Well,"  replied  Tom  in  his  deliberate  manner,  tt  as  we 
didn't  see  any  necessity  for  making  a  noise,  we  concluded 
to  spare  the  exertion.'" 

"My  collossal  friend,"  said  Bill  in  his  blandest  tones, 
"  please  moor  yourself  to  that  stool  and  tell  us  how  many 
men  you  have  killed  since  breakfast," 

"  Diem  perdidi !  not  even  one. 

But  a  field  of  the  dead  rushes  red  on  my  sight. 
For  the  students  of  Dartmouth  are  spoiling  for 
fight." 

"  Now  my  brave  Falstaff  with  the  lion  head,  give  us  a 
prose  translation  of  that  "  said  Tom,  "  for  I  see  that  your 
big  skin. is  full  of  something  new." 

*l  My  dear  boy,"  returned  Condon,  I  grieve  for  you  and 
I  always  sing  my  sorrows.  But  the  fact  is,  a  certain 
pugnacious  sophomore  has  hurled  his  gauntlet  across  the 
river  and  expresses  a  particular  desire  that  you  should  pick 
it  up." 


12  THE    NORWICH    CADETS: 

"  All !  indeed,  that  is  refreshing  intelligence.  Yon 
shall  be  rewarded." 

"  Couldn't  the  gentleman  toss  over  one  apiece  for  us  ?" 
inquired  Bill,  feeling  that  he  had  been  slighted. 

"  He  thinks  that  one  hand  is  enough  for  both  of  you, 
and  therefore  used  only  one  glove." 

Bill  sprang  to  his  feet  at  this  and  buttoning  his  coat  up 
to  the  chin,  secured  about  him  the  silver  hilted  dagger 
which  he  always  carried,  and  began  pacing  the  room  cap  in 
hand.  The  cooler  blooded  Vermonter  smiled  at  these 
evidences  of  excitement,  and  addressing  his  chum  by  the 
affectionate  appellation  of  "  Willie,"  requested  him  to  have 
another  pipe. 

"  No,  thank  you,  I  have  got  to  throw  a  pontoon  across 
the  Connecticut  to-night,  so  that  the  Doctor  can  lead  his 
troops  over  in  the  morning  to  attack  the  town. 

"  Wouldn't  you  accept  the  services  of  a  couple  of 
volunteers  ?"  inquired  Tom. 

"Yes." 

"  Come  on  then,  Condon,"  said  Tom  rising  and  putting 
on  his  cap  ;  wre  shall  need  you  as  guide.  If  it  isn't  very 
dark  we  shall  be  able  to  follow  your  white  face  without 
difficulty." 

"  I  am  w^th  you  my  gallant  boys,"  exclaimed  the  poet, 
striking  an  attitude,  "  till — ■ 

"  The  enemy  heaves  in  sight."  Tom  finished  the 
sentence. 

The  three  sallied  out  together  and  avoiding  the  guards 
took  their  way  to  the  river.  As  they  neared  the  bridge 
Condon  called  a  halt. 

"  I  pride  myself  on  my  generalship,"  said  he,  "  and  I 
can't  bear  to  throw  away  the  lives  of  such  good  soldiers  as 
you.  Now  it  is  very  easy  to  get  into  Hanover,  but  when 
we  wish  to  get  out  we  may  find  this  bridge  barricaded.  So 
my  beasts  of  prey,  to  make  our  retreat  secure,  if  3Tou  will  go 


A    TALE    OP    THE    REBELLION.  13 

ahead,  I  will  go  and  get  a  boat  and  row  over  and  wait  for 
you  at  the  landing." 

"  No  head  but  yours  would  have  thought  of  that,"  said 
Bill. 

"  Do  so  by  all  means,"  said  Tom. 

Condon  looked  pleased  that  his  companions  so  readily 
fell  in  with  his  plan,  which  was  first  conceived  to  secure  his 
own  safety,  and  walked  away  with  as  much  energy  and  im- 
portance as  though  it  were  the  night  of  crossing  the 
Delaware  and  upon  him  rested  the  responsibility  of  finding 
transportation  for  the  troops. 

The  two  friends  laughed  quietly  over  this  desertion. 

"  That  is  the  last  we  shall  see  of  him  "  remarked  Bill. 

"  Big  dogs  are  not  the  bravest,"  philosophized  Tom  ; 
"  but  he  may  come  over  after  all." 

"  If  he  starts  at  all,  he  is  more  likely  to  drop  anchor  in 
the  middle  of  the  stream  where  he  will  be  out  of  harm's 
reach  from  either  shore." 

With  another  laugh  at  poor  Mat's  want  of  courage  and 
his  futile  endeavors  to  conceal  it,  the  two  cadets  walked  on 
over  the  bridge  and  entered  the  village  of  Hanover.  With- 
out intending  to  provoke  any  quarrel,  they  were  determined 
to  let  their  presence  be  known,  and  were  prepared  to  repel 
any  assault,  whether  made  by  the  pugnacious  sophomore 
before  mentioned,  or  by  others.  They  were  personally  well 
known,  but  not  regarded  with  unmixed  love,  for  the  reason 
that  on  several  former  occasions  they  had  difficulties  with 
different  students  and  had  generally  borne  away  what 
laurels  there  were. 

After  visiting  two  or  three  places  of  student-resort, 
they  found  themselves  receiving  as  much  attention  as  they 
desired.  Their  very  presence  there  was  a  challenge  and  so 
received.  The  excitement  momentarily  increased.  Leaving 
the  refreshment  saloon,  at  that  time  kept  by  a  colored 
gentleman  who  dispensed  oysters  and  root  beer  to  hungry 


14  THE    NORWICH    CADETS: 

and  thirsty  undergraduates,  the  two  cadets  proceeded  to 
the  Campus  followed  by  a  noisy  and  not  very  respectful 
crowd.  They  paid  no  attention  however  to  those  behind 
them  nor  to  the  uncomplimentary  remarks  which  were  made 
for  their  ears,  but  walked  along  unconcernedly  as  though 
they  were  the  only  persons  abroad. 

Perceiving  that  some  more  decided  demonstration 
must  be  made,  the  crowd  pressed,  closed,  and  finally  the 
champion  of  the  sophomore  class,  a  tall  fellow  named 
Staples,  brushing  up  to  Bill's  side  laid  his  hand  on  the 
Georgian's  coat  and  cried  ont — 

••  See  !  what  pretty  buttons  !" 

There  was  a  laugh  from  his  companions,  but  it  quickly 
subsided  as  they  saw  their  champion  sprawling  on  the 
ground,  sent  there  by  one  quick  blow  from  the  insulted 
cadet.  Then  they  rushed  in  a  body  on  the  now  furious 
southerner. 

"  One  at  a  time,  gentlemen,"  said  Tom  cooly.  as  he 
knocked  down  the  foremost  of  the  assailants.  "  My  friend 
mil  meet  any  one. of  you  in  fair  fight." 

'•Or  a  dozen  of  them  "  cried  Bill  with  a  face  as  black 
as  Othello's. 

The  battle  now,  became  general.  The  cadets  received 
some  hard  blows,  but  they  repaid  them  with  interest.  Once 
Bill  was  down,. but  Tom  fought  over  his  body  till  he  could 
gain  his  feet.  Doubtless  the  battle  would  have  gone  against 
our  heroes  in  the  end,  but  suddenly  the  President  of  the 
College  appeared  in  the  midst  of  the  combatants,  calling 
excitedly  for  order.         ' 

The  students  no  sooner  saw  him  than  the}-  fled  to  avoid 
his  recognition.  The  cadets,  saluting  him  respectfully, 
marched  away  leaving  the  astonished  President  sole  oc- 
cupant and  master  of  the  lately  contested  field. 

Our  two  heroes  directed  their  steps  to  the  river.  Soon 
becoming  awTare  that  they  were  pursued.  Bill  expressed  a 


A  TALE  0E  THE  REBELLK  »X.  .  15 

desire  to  turn  back,  but  yielding  to  his  friend's  request  lie 
hastened  with  him  to  the  landing  when'  they  hoped  but 
hardly  expected  to  find  Condon. 

Tlmt  individual  had  indeed  procured  a  boat  and  an 
inoffensive  fellow  to  row  it  and  made  a  landing  on  the  New 
Hampshire  shore.  When  he  heard  the  sound  of  hurrying 
footsteps  and  angry  .shouts  he  suspected  the  cause,  and  fearful 
of  being  himself  sacrificed  if  he  waited  to  Buccor  his  friends, 
he  jumped  into  the  boat  and  seizing  one  oar  while  his  com 
panion  took  the  other,  pushed  out  a  few  rods  into  the  river 
just  as  Tom  and  Bill  reached  the  shore. 

They  saw  they  were  too  late  and  running  a  short  dis- 
tance up  the  stream  secreted  themselves  Their  pursuers 
soon  after  reached  the  landing  they  had  just  left,  and  see- 
ing a  boat  with  two  persons  in  it,  naturally  supposed  that 
their  foes  had  escaped  them.  They  shouted  after  the 
fleeing  Condon,  daring  him  to  return,  and  one  of  them 
having  a  revolver,  fired  several  shots  purposely  striking  the 
water  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  boat. 

At  this  the  frightened  boatman  whom  Condon  had 
hired  stopped  rowing  and  proposed  to  return  in  obedience 
to  the  order  of  the  firing  party. 

"  Row  for  your  life  "  screamed  the  frantic  giant,  draw- 
ing a  huge  knife  and  nourishing  it  wildly. 

"  They  will  shoot  us  if  wTe  don't  go  back." 

"Fear  nothing  but  me.  You  carry  Condon  and  his 
fortunes." 

The  boat  sped  on  its  way  and  the  baffled  students  left 
the  spot. 

When  all  was  quiet  Tom  and  Bill  emerged  from  their 
hiding  place,  where  they  had  greatly  enjoyed  the  spectacle 
of  Condon's  terror,  and  crossing  the  bridge  unmolested, 
peacefully  pursued  their  way  home. 


16 


THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 


CHAPTER    III 


CONDON  S  AD  VENTURE THE  BATTLE  OF  TORN  COATS — A  POLITICAL 

DISCUSSION THE  GATHERING  STORM. 

H  E  next  morning  Mat  had  a  wonderful  tale  to 
tell  of  his  adventures  by  flood  and  field  and  of 
the  narrow  escape  from  death  which  he  had  in 
contending  single  handed  writh  the  chivalry  of 
Dartmouth.  Our  two  heroes  heard  his  report 
with  interest,  and  Bill  moved  that  it  be  engrossed 
and  placed  in  the  archives  of  the  University. 

After  this  affray  quiet  reigned  on  the  Con- 
necticut for  the  space  of  three  wreeks.  But  this  peace  could 
not  continue.  The  "  Parties  "  (as  the  Dartmouth  students 
were  called)  smarted  under  their  late  defeat,  and  only 
waited  for  an  opportunity  to  wreak  their  vengeance  on 
some  one  or  more .  of  the  cadets  without  being  at  the  cost 
and  danger  of  making  a  hostile  incursion  into  Vermont  for 
that  purpose.     This  opportunity  soon  presented  itself. 

Condon,  whose  political  and  martial  qualities  we  have 
bef  jre  had  occasion  to  notice,  afforded  the  casus  belli  this 
time.  Not  contented  with  having  stolen  the  title  and 
parodied  the  favorite  song  of  the  cadets  called  the  "  old 
south  barracks,"  a  really  meritorious  production  written  by 
Harry  Dent,  a  former  cadet;  and  not  satisfied  with  the 
many  scrapes  into  which  he  had  been  the  means  of  leading 
his  fellow  students,  was  now  the  "  cause,  means  and  instru- 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  17 

ment "  of  bringing  on  what  we  shall  call  the  last  battle  of 
Dartmouth,  or  the  battle  of  Torn  Coats.  Trusting  to  his 
fear  inspiring  proportions  and  appearance,  ami  to  a  peace- 
able demeanor,  he  ventured  one  Saturday  to  pass  over  to 
Hanover  alone  and  unprotected. 

His  arrival  in  the  village  was  quickly  known  and  he 
was  soon  the  object  of  almost  universal  attention.  The 
Darties  welcomed  this  opportunity  for  revenge,  and  with 
Staples  at  their  head  surrounded  him. 

Condon  grew  pale  with  fear  and  all  his  great  strength 
left  him.  He  tried  to  look  courageous  and  walk  out  of  the 
net,  but  as  his  reputation  was  not  altogether  unknown,  they 
stopped  him  and  laughed  at  his  frowns  and  hard  words. 
He  cried  "  peace,"  but  they  told  him  there  was  none ;  he 
begged  for  mercy  and  they  hissed  him. 

His  knees  smote  together  as  Staples  fiercely  approach- 
ed him.  The  boys  enjoyed  his  terror.  But  they  were  too 
manly  to  think  of  doing  any  bodily  injury  to  one  so  com- 
pletely in  their  power. 

Staples  seized  him  by  his  claw  hammer  coat-tails,  and 
deliberately  ripped  Condon's  outer  garment  up  to  the  col- 
lar.    That  alone  held  the  two  halves  of  the  coat  together. 

With  shouts  and  screams  of  laughter  the  "  Darties  " 
opened  their  ranks  and  permitted  the  humbled  cadet  to 
march  out  of  their  midst. 

Holding  his  coat  together  behind,  as  well  as  he  could 
with  one  hand,  Condon  fairly  ran,  followed  by  peals  of 
laughter  which  sounded  like  volleys  of  artillery  in  his  ears, 
and  stopped  not  till  he  was  safely  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river.    He  tried  to  gain  his  room  unseen,  but  in  this  he  failed. 

Lyon  and  Wolfe,  who  were  walking  together,  met  him, 
and  their  laughter  at  his  ridiculous  appearance  seemed  to 
be  the  echo  of  that  from  which  he  had  fled. 

"  Is  that  the  newest  style— the  regulation  pattern  ?  " 
inquired  the  first. 


18  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  : 

*;  Why  don't  you  move  your  buttons  around  if  you  are 
going  to  have  your  coat  open  on  that  side  ?  "  said  the  other. 

Poor  Condon  tried  to  tell  how  he  had  caught  his  coat 
on  a  fence  post,  but  his  scared  look  did'not  confirm  his  talc, 
and  he  was  finally  obliged  to  confess  to  part  of  the  truth. 
He  told,  howTever,  how  he  had  been  overpowered  by  num- 
bers, and  after  a  desperate  struggle,  he  had  been  abused  in 
the  manner  they  saw. 

Though  greatly  amused  at  Condon's  mishap,  the  honor 
of  the  University  wras  at  stake,  as  our  friends  thought,  and 
they  determined  upon  retaliation. 

The  story  was  told  ;  there  was  a  private  meeting  of  the 
cadets  and  to  the  number  of  forty-five  they  agreed  that  the 
disgrace  should  be  wiped  out. 

A  neighboring  wood-pile  was  laid  under  contribution 
for  weapons.  They  sawed  the  four  foot  limbs  in  two  ;  bored 
gimlet  holes  hi  one  end  ;  tied  in  a  loop  of  small  cord  and 
threw  the  loop  over  the  wrist,  as  cavalry  men  wear  their 
swords  in  action. 

This  gave  each  man  a  neat  club  of  two  feet  in  length 
with  a  sword-knot  to  prevent  him  from  losing  it,  should  it 
be  knocked  out  of  his  hand. 

With  these  formidable  weapons  (similar  to  a  police- 
man's club)  they  marched  to  Hanover,  though  Condon  was 
not  among  them.  He  complained  of  being  unwell,  and  at 
the  time  of  departure  was  snugly  tucked  up  in  bed,  with 
numerous  bottles  of  medicine  on  a  stand  at  his  bedside. 

When  the  cadets  reached  Hanover  they  drew  up  on 
the  college  green,  and  forming  a  hollow  square  (single  rank 
eleven  men  on  a  side),  they  gave  three  groans  for  Dart- 
mouth, followed  by  three  cheers  for  Norwich  University. 

They  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  the  enemy  to  ap- 
pear. The  Darties  swarmed  from  every  direction  and 
assembled  on  all  sides  of  them. 

Among   the   cadets   was  an   Ohio  boy  named  Evarts 


A  TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  19 

(afterwards  a  Colonel  of  Volunteers)  whose  weight  was  two 
hundred  and  thirty-five  pounds  and  whose  strength  and 
courage  corresponded  well  with  his  weight.  A  blacksmith's 
anvil  of  ordinary  size  was  a  toy  in  his  huge  hands.  When 
the  cadets  formed  the  square  under  command  of  Adjutant 
Lyon,  Evarts  refused  to  fall  in,  and  as  the  Dartmouth  men 
pressed  close  up,  he  seized  the  first  wTho  came  near  him  by 
the  shoulders,  whirled  him  around,  and  tore  his  coat  from 
skirt  to  collar.  He  followed  this  thing  up  by  treating  half 
a  dozen  others  in  the  same  manner,  before  hostilities  on  the 
part  of  the  square  were  actually  opened. 

Lyon  marched  his  little  force  first  in  one  direction  and 
then  in  another,  wherever  the  crowd  appeared  densest, 
making  a  path  wherever  they  went.  The  advantage  which 
the  cadets  possessed  over  their  antagonists,  consisted  in 
their  military  organization  and  their  consequent  ability  to 
strike  as  a  unit  against  an  unorganized  mob. 

Stones,  brickbats  and  sticks  fell  among  them,  but  rarely 
inflicted  any  serious  damage.  After  a  time  the  fall  of 
missiles  slackened  ;  and  the  attention  of  the  enemy  seemed 
to  be  drawn  toward  an  opposite  section  of  the  green. 
Lyon  seized  the  opportunity  to  give  his  command  a  breath- 
ing spell  by  ordering  an  "in  place,  rest." 

The  cadets  had  only  drawn  a  few  free  breaths,  however, 
when  they  saw  Evarts  standing  alone  with  his  arms  folded, 
about  a  hundred  feet  in  front  of  them,  while  immediately 
beyond  him  stood  the  Dartmouth  host,  evidently  watching 
and  considering  his  probable  movements,  and  meditating 
his  overthrow. 

Presently  two  men  appeared  approaching  him  from 
either  side  ;  a  third  came  up  in  front  and  dared  him  by 
gestures ;  a  fourth  stole  to  the  rear  of  Goliah.  Evarts 
sprang  for  the  man  in  front,  and  at  the  same  time  the  three 
men  in  flank  and  rear  sprang  upon  him.  The  giant  went 
down. 


20  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  i 

"  Tention !  "  shouted  Adjutant  Ljou  ;  u  forward,  double 
quick  !  " 

In  half  a  minute  the  square  marched  over  the  five 
struggling  men,  halted  and  held  them  in  the  center. 
Evarts  sprang  to  his  feet,  caught  each  man  singly  and  rip- 
ped up  his  coat. 

"  Glory  enough  for  one  day  !  To  the  Barracks,  double 
quick,  march  !  "  exclaimed  Lyon,  and  the  cadets  ran  unmo- 
lested down  the  hill  to  Vermont,  Evarts  and  AVolfe  bringing 
up  the  rear  and  earnestly  longing  to  be  pursued. 

Their  longing  was  not  gratified.  They  were  not  pur- 
sued, but  gained  the  barracks  in  safety,  and  indulged  in 
great  rejoicings  over  their  victory. 

Condon  was  visibly  better  as  he  heard  the  news,  and 
the  next  day  appeared  as  well  as  ever. 

But  more  important  events  than  these  we  have  describ- 
ed, were  in  the  near  future,  and  were  soon  to  be  unfolded 
not  only  to  the  gaze  of  the  cadets,  but  to  the  whole  country 
and  the  world. 

The  presidential  campaign  of  18G0  was  a  very  exciting- 
one  because  the  people  felt  that  greater  interests  than  usual 
wTere  involved  in  it,  if  indeed  the  life  of  the  nation  was  not 
at  stake.  And  after  the  election  was  over,  the  excitement, 
instead  of  subsiding  as  it  usually  does  after  such  an  event, 
rather  increased.  During  the  winter  the  threats  of  seces- 
sion advocates  grew  louder  and  more  frequent — the  mutter- 
ings  of  the  gathering  storm  burst  upon  the  country 
with  the  thunder  of  the  guns  directed  against  Fort  Sumter. 

In  politics  Tom  and  Bill  could  not  agree,  but  they 
could  do  what  many  older  heads  cannot  do,  they  could  dis- 
cuss questions  about  which  they  differed,  without  exhibit- 
ing any  personal  animosity  or  feeling  any  diminution  of 
their  friendship.  The  Vermonter  was  a  staunch  republican 
and  anti-slavery  man,  a  firm  supporter  of  Lincoln,  while 
the  Georgian  was  a  Breckinridge  democrat  and  a  pro  slavery 


A    TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  2l 

man.  The  former  was  a  disciple  of  Webster  and  believed 
that  "  We  the  people  "  had  granted  to  the  general  govern- 
ment greater  powers  than  any  that  were  reserved.  The 
latter  was  a  disciple  of  Calhoun  and  believed  in  state  rights. 
If  he  must  choose  between  Georgia  and  the  United  States, 
he  chose  Georgia  as  having  the  stronger  claim  upon  his 
loyalty. 

Many  a  wordy  contest  did  the  two  cadets  have  with 
each  other,  but  prejudice  with  them  as  with  most  men,  was 
stronger  than  reason,  and  they  usually  ended  as  far  apart 
as  when  they  began. 

"  Why  should  not  the  South  have  its  independence,  if 
it  desires  it?  "  inquired  Bill.  "  You  believe  in  the  right  of 
revolution." 

"  In  some  cases  ;  but  I  don't  believe  in  treason,"  an- 
swered Tom. 

"  That  is  dodging  the  point.     Secession  is  revolution." 

"Governments  are  instituted  among  men  for  the 
benefit  of  the  governed,  and  when  they  become  destructive 
of  this  end,  it  is  the  right  of  the  people  to  alter  or  abolish 
them.  So  I  believe,  and  I  believe  that  an  oppressed  people  is 
justified  in  revolution  or  secession  without  a  cause.  The 
south  claims  the  right  to  withdraw  at  will  from  the  Union, 
with  or  without  a  cause.  But  secession  is  not  revolution  ; 
it  is  ten  thousand  times  worse ;  it  is  an  anarchy.  You  do 
not  wish  to  alter  or  abolish  our  form  of  government  because 
it  is  an  objectionable  one.  You  are  willing  it  should  re- 
main, but  you  wish  to  set  up  another  government  within 
our  boundaries,  and  I  am  sure  that  if  you  do,  you  will 
model  it  after  that  to  which  you  will  have  proved  traitor, 
so  well,  in  fact  do  you  like  it.  Revolutionize  the  whole 
country  if  there  is  any  cause  for  it." 

"  All  governments  derive  their  just  powers  from  the 
consent  of  the  governed,  you  know  "  said  Bill, 

"  That  is  true,  but  Jefferson  never  meant   that  it  was 


22  THE    NORWICH    CADETS: 

necessary  to  have  the  consent  of  every  one  of  the  governed. 
The  consent  of  the  governed  is  the  consent  of  the  majority, 
and  that  the  national  government  possesses.  Twenty  mil- 
lions of  people  are  devoted  to  their  government." 

"  With  some  exceptions." 

"  While  only  a  part  of  eight  millions  demand  a  change, 
and  shall  they  rule  the  majority  ?" 

"Let  them  rule  themselves  ;  it  is  all  they  ask." 

"  We  will,  but  in  a  constitutional  wTay.  If  every 
minority  at  the  close  of  an  election  were  allowed  to  secede, 
there  would  soon  be  nothing  to  secede  from.  Now  if  these 
malcontents  were  equally  distributed  over  the  wdiole 
country,  they  would  be  insignificant.  Public  opinion  and 
the  ballot-box  would  be  sufficient  remedies  against  their 
disorganizing  tendencies.  But  the  being  all  in  a  body  to- 
gether, in  one  section  of  the  country,  gives  them  an  im- 
portance which  their  numbers  do  not  deserve.  Our  govern- 
ment is  one  of  their  choice  and  adoption,  and  it  is  formed 
on  the  principle  that  the  majority  should  rule.  The 
majority  ought  to  rule ;  there  can  be  no  free  government 
without  it." 

"  Why  has  not  the  South  as  good  a  right  to  secede 
from  the  United  States,  as  the  United  Colonies  had  to 
secede  from  Great  Britain  in  1776  ?" 

"  Because  her  people  have  not  the  same  cause.  They 
offer  none  to  the  world.  They  have  no  decent  respect  to 
the  opinions  of  mankind,  and  declare  no  cause  for  separa- 
tion. Our  fathers  had  numerous  causes  and  they  boldly 
declared  them.  They  petitioned  and  remonstrated  first, 
and  the  appeal  to  arms  was  the  last  resort.  You  southerners 
have  nothing  to  say  which  you  are  not  ashamed  to  embody 
in  a  declaration  to  the  world,  and  there  is  a  peaceful  remedy 
for  every  just  complaint  that  you  can  have." 

"  The  question  is  who  is  to  decide  whether  a  people  lias 
cause  to  rebel.     England  did  not  think  her  American  Col- 


A  TALE  OF  TIIE  REBELLION.  23 

onies  were  right ;  you  don't  think  the  South  is  right.     The 
rebels  in  1776  thought  differently,  as  they  do  now.'' 

u  The  two  cases  are  dissimilar.  In  one  case  there  were 
real  grievances  ;  hi  the  other  there  are  none,  and  further, 
the  colonies  occupied  a  country  which  by  their  own  toils 
and  sufferings  they  had  redeemed  from  the  wilderness  and 
its  savage  inhabitants — a  country  of  their  own,  which  was 
far  removed  from  the  ruling  power  in  whose  counsels  they 
had  no  voice.  They  were  on  another  continent.  They  did 
not  set  up  a  government  in  a  corner  of  England.  Even  if 
the  rule  of  England  had  been  mild  and  just,  it  is  impossible 
in  the  nature  of  things,  and  contrary  to  reason  and  natural 
justice  that  a  country  like  this  should  long  be  subject  to  the' 
sway  of  a  little  island  across  the  ocean.  But  you  would 
establish  a  nation  within  a  nation.  You  have  about  the 
same  right  to  secede  that  Yorkshire  has.  If  the  Southern- 
ers or  the  Yorkshh-emen  don't  like  their  government,  let 
them  leave  the  country.  They  have  no  right  to  dictate  to  a 
majority  what  sort  of  government  there  shall  be,  or  wheth- 
er there  shall  be  two  governments  or  one." 

"Revolutionists  are  always  hi  a  minority.  If  they 
were  not  they  would  not  have  to  resort  to  revolution.  The 
American  colonies,  taking  the  whole  British  Empire  into 
consideration  (and  they  were  a  part  of  it)  were  in  a  much 
greater  minority  than  the  Southerners  are  now  in  ;  and  I 
don't  see  that  a  little  water  thrown  between  affects  the  ques- 
tion of  right  in  the  least." 

"Water  is  a  natural  boundary  of  nations." 

"  Mountains  are  another,  but  you  wouldn't  see  it,  if 
the  country  west  of  the  Rocky  mountains  was  to  rebel." 

"  No  ;  we  won't  permit  the  establishment  of  any  new 
government  within  the  territory  of  the  United  States.    Un- 
der a  free  government   like   ours,    voluntarily   accepted  at 
first,  there  can  be  no  cause  for  rebellion.     If  the  people  * 
don't  like  their  government,  they  have  the  power  to  alter  it 


24  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

peaceably.     The  colonies  did  not  have  that  power,  nor  any 
part  of  it. 

"  You  talk  well,  but  can  you  light  ?  "  said  Bill  with  a 
grim  smile. 

"That  you  will  have  a  chance  to  prove  if  you  go  on.'' 
"  Success  will  make  noble  patriots  of  us  rebels." 
"  If  you  wait  for-  transformation,  you  will  die  dishon- 
ored traitors." 

"  Plainly,  Tom,  secession  is  the  only  salvation  for  slav- 
ery. If  we  remain  it  is  doomed  ;  if  we  go  out  we  may  pre- 
serve it.  It  is  woven  into  the  fabric  of  our  society.  We 
are  born  and  bred  in  it  and  like  it  better  than  your  system 
of  so-called  free  labor,  and  think  it  the  best  condition  of 
labor  both  for  whites  and  blacks,  so  long  as  we  have  the 
negroes  and  cannot  be  rid  of  them.  In  fact  all  enforced 
labor,  whether  of  poverty  or  the  lash,  is  slavery.  We  find 
the  institution  of  slavery  to  be  both  pleasant  and  profitable 
to  us ;  many  of  your  most  prominent  northern  divines  tell 
us  it  is  scriptural  and  right,  and  we  are  bound  to  maintain 
it  either  within  or  without  the  Union." 

After  this  manner  their  discussions  usually  proceeded 
and  ended.  Both  were  unconsciously  pleased  at  the 
prospect  of  Avar,  though  they  knew  that  when  it  came  it 
would  find  them  arrayed  as  enemies  against  each  other. 
Darker  and  darker  grew  the  threatening  war-cloud  which 
overhung  the  country.  Sober  patriots  who  knew  how  great 
a  loss  to  them,  their  children  and  the  world,  would  be  the 
loss  of  the  Union,  grew  grave  and  heavy-hearted  at  the 
prospect.  Others  thought  there  was  needless  alarm ;  that 
the  sky  would  clear  in  a  few  months  and  that  then  we 
should  go  on  again  in  our  old  way  of  peace  and  prosperity. 
No  one  fully  anticipated  the  greatness  of  the  impending 
conflict.  But  still  the  news  from  the  South  grew  daily  of  a 
more  warlike  character.  Daily  did  distinguished  men 
previously  honored  for  their  ability  and  patriotism,  fall 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  25 

away  from  the  support  of  the  government  and  throw  them- 
selves into  the  ranks  of  its  enemies.  The  Union  seemed  to 
be  dropping  to  pieces  and  fading  away  like  some  beautiful 
structure  in  a  dream,  to  the  surprise  of  those  who  knew 
that  its  stones  were  cemented  with  the  blood  of  its  builders, 
and  expected  it  to  stand.  The  Cabinet  dissolved  by 
resignation.  Its  rebel  element  withdrew  after  doing  all 
the  damage  it  could,  to  join  the  secession  movement.  Its 
loyal  element,  in  the  person  of  the  venerable  Cass,  withdrew 
in  disgiist  at  the  non-coercion  policy  of  President 
Buchanan. 

South  Carolina  seceded  Dec.  20.  1860,  and  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  fact  in  the  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  was  received  with  clap- 
ping of  hands  by  a  few  secessionists.  Major  Anderson  was 
fighting  against  starvation  in  Charleston  harbor.  The 
nation,  like  a  headless  trunk,  remained  passive  under  insults 
and  injuries  innumerable,  raising  no  hand  to  defend  its  life 
against  the  blows  of  its  would-be  assassins. 

New  interest  attached  to  the  drill  at  the  University  and 
there  was  more  hard  study  among  the  cadets  of  those 
branches  of  knowledge  pertaining  to  war  than  the  pro- 
fessors had  witnessed  for  many  a  year. 

Cadet  Wolfe  remained  at  the  University,  a  hard  student 
and  outwardly  loyal,  until  Georgia  seceded,  January  2,  1861. 
Then  he  transferred  his  allegiance  from  the  national  govern- 
ment to  that  of  his  native  State  and  made  his  preparations 
to  return  home  and  take  his  position  in  the  ranks  of  the 
gathering  Southern  chivalry. 

He  bade  farewell  to  his  companions,  with  less  eloquence 
perhaps,  but  with  more  feeling,  than  Jefferson  Davis  ex- 
hibited in  retiring  from  his  place  in  the  United  States 
Senate,  and  wringing  the  hand  of  Tom  Lyon  while  tears 
sprang  to  their  meeting  eyes,  he  departed  for  Washington, 


26  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  '. 

where  his  sister  was  at  school,  with  the  purpose  of  escorting 
her  to  their  father's  house. 

On  his  arrival  home  he  was  received  with  a  warm  wel- 
come, as  were  all  the  returning  sons  of  the  South,  and  very 
soon  thereafter  he  received  a  captain's  commission  in  a 
Georgia  regiment  and  entered  the  service  of  the  Con- 
federacy. 


A  TALE    OP   THE    REBELLION.  27 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE    STORM    BURSTS IT    RAINS     BLOOD CADET    LYON    ENTERS    HIS 

COUNTRY'S     SERVICE HONORS    TO    HIM    AND     PEACE    BETWEEN 

NORWICH    AND     DARTMOUTH OUR    TWO    HEROES    AT     SWORDS' 

POINTS. 

UEING  the  remainder  of  Buchanan's  term 
of  office,  the  Union  was  a  constant  loser,  while 
the  South  was  gaining  strength  and  material 
for  the  approaching  conflict.  Government  prop- 
erty in  the  rebel  states,  forts,*  arsenals,  navy- 
yards,  ships,  mints,  custom-houses  and  sub- 
treasuries,  writh  money,  arms  and  munitions 
were  taken,  to  the  value  of  forty  millions  of  dol- 
lars, without  a  single  arm  being  raised  in  opposition. 

A  convention  of  the  seceded  states  met  at  Montgomery, 
Alabama,  and  the  Southern  Confederacy  was  born  there  on 
the  9th  of  February,  1861. 

When  Lincoln  came  to  take  the  reins  of  government 
he  found  himself  at  the  head  of  a  people  paralyzed  by  the 
terrible  state  of  affairs,  despoiled  of  army,  navy  and  war 
material,  and  without  money  or  credit,  while  a  formidable 
rebellion,  fully  organized  and  exultant  at  its  first  success, 
boldly  confronted  him  and  dared  him  to  strike.  Yet  still  he 
dreamed  of  peace,  and  in  his  inaugural  address  he  attempted 
to  pour  oil  upon  the  troubled  waters  which  were  rising  to 
engulf  the  country  and  to  blot  from  the  galaxy  of  nations 
the  brightest  star  which  ever  shone  there.     But  his  dream 


28  THE   NORWICH   CADETS i 

was  quickly  and  rudely  dispelled  by  the  roar  of  a  mortar 
from  Sullivan's  Island  on  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  April. 
The  news  of  the  fall  of  Sumter  flashed  over  the  North, 
everywhere  rousing  the  indignation  of  the  people,  who 
were  stirred  as  they  had  never  been  before.  It  was  quickly 
followed  (April  loth)  by  the  President's  proclamation  calling 
for  75,000  men,  which  was  hailed  with  delight  and  responded 
to  with  alacrity.  Vermont's  first  regiment  was  soon  on  its 
way  to  Washington  under  the  command  of  Col.  Phelps,  the 
lamented  Washburn  being  second  in  command. 

The  tide  of  secession  which  had  flowed  up  to  the  very 
base  of  the  Capitol  began  to  ebb,  and  the  cleansing  waves 
from  the  hills  of  the  North  followed  upon  its  return- 
ing course.  Baltimore  was  humbled  by  Gen.  Butler  and 
made  safe  for  the  passage  of  loyal  troops.  Gen.  McClellan 
"  completely  annihilated  the  enemy  in  Western  Virginia." 
Gen.  Butler  took  possession  of  Fortress  Monroe  and  New- 
port News  and  forced  the  enemy  to  retire  from  Big  Bethel 
to  Yorktown,  though  at  considerable  loss  to  himself,  owing 
to  the  blunders  of  his  subordinates.  Northern  soldiers 
poured  by  thousands  into  Washington,  and  the  armies  of 
the  West  daily  increased  in  numbers.  . 

During  these  months  of  excitement  cadet  Tom  Lyon 
remained  at  Norwich  waiting  for  his  graduation,  which  was 
to  occur  in  July,  but  anxious  to  be  engaged  in  the  service 
of  his  country,  and  determined  to  be  among  the  foremost 
to  answer  the  next  call  upon  Vermont  for  volunteers.  He 
read  with  avidity  all  the  news  from  the  seat  of  war  and 
rejoiced  in  every  success  of  Northern  arms.  When  news 
came  from  the  disastrous  field  of  Bull  Run,  casting  a  gloom 
over  all  the  North  and  filling  many  hearts  with  dismay, 
Tom's  cheek  blanched  a  little,  but  it  was  with  shame  at  the 
cowardice  displayed,  and  not  with  fear  of  Southern  valor. 

He  saw  with  secret  joy  that  a  ninety  days'  campaign 
was  not  to  end  the  conflict  as  many  had  predicted. 


A   TALE   OF    THE   REBELLION.  29 

"  Now  "  said  he  to  Condon,  with  a  beaming  face,  "  there 
will  be  another  call  and  a  chance  for  us." 

"  To  feed  the  worms,"  added  that  hero.  "  You  will 
enlist  ?"    he  inquired. 

"  Give  your  voice  the  falling  inflection  and  you  will  be 
answered." 

"  To  fall  in  a  righteous  cause  is  glorious,  but  very  un- 
pleasant, especially  to  a  man  of  my  proportions.  I  have 
made  up  my  mind  to  enter  upon  the  study  of  medicine  so 
that  I  may  be  able  to  heal  the  wounds  which  you  are  likely 
to  receive." 

"I  should  rather  face  your  sword  than  your  scalpel, 
but  there  will  be  work  for  doctors  before  this  war  is 
over." 

Mat  did  soon  after  enter  a  medical  college,  while  Tom, 
receiving  a  Captain's  commission,  hastened    with   his  reg 
iment   to   join  the   army  of  the  Potomac,  then  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  George  B.  McClellan,  who  had  been  called 
to  supersede  the  venerable  Scott. 

Captain  Lyon  was  at  Norwich  making  a  farewell  visit 
among  the  undergraduates,  when  a  telegram  came,  direct- 
ing him  to  join  his  regiment  at  once.  The  cadets,  with 
whom  he  was  a  general  favorite,  determined  at  once  to 
escort  him  to  the  depot  and  accompany  him  as  far  as  White 
River  Junction,  and  for  this  purpose  procured  the  use  of 
two  extra  cars. 

They  marched  out  of  town  with  music,  but  before  they 
reached  the  descent  overlooking  the  depot,  the  music  ceased 
and  they  proceeded  at  "  route  step."  As  the  first  company 
came  in  sight  of  the  depot  they  were  surprised  to  see  its 
platform  and  the  adjacent  grounds  black  with  the  students 
of  Dartmouth. 

A  subdued  murmur  ran  along  the  lines — ';  A  fight !  a 
fight !     the  Darties  are  out  in  force." 

But  just  then  from  among  the  assembled  students,  wTho 


30  THE    NORWICH    CADETS: 

were  evidently  waiting  for  the  cadets,  a  clear  voice  rang 
out: — "  Three  cheers  for  Norwich  University  !" 

These  were  given  with  hearty  earnestness  by  the 
students. 

The  cadets  were  too  much  surprised  to  answer,  even  if 
it  had  been  '"military"  to  do  so  without  orders.  Never 
before  in  the  history  of  the  two  institutions  of  learning, 
had  a  cheer  for  one  emanated  from  the  lungs  of  the  stu- 
dents of  the  other. 

The  cadet  in  command  ordered  the  direct  step  ;  the 
music  sounded,  and  the  companies  marched  down  the  hill 
to  the  station,  wheeled  into  line  and  presented  arms  to 
Capt.  Lyon,  who  gracefully  raised  his  cap  and  withdrew. 

Again  the  same  voice  heard  before  cried  out — "  Three 
cheers  for  Norwich  University  !  " 

Again  the  cheers  resounded. 

Then  followed  the  quick  commands — u  Shoulder  arms  ! 
order  arms !  in  place,  rest — Three  cheers  for  Dartmouth 
College  !  " 

These  were  given  with  all  the  strength  of  lung  the 
cadets  could  muster. 

Old  Dartmouth  had  won  this  time.  The  cadets  felt 
that  they  were  fairly  conquered  by  the  magnanimity  of 
their  ancient  foes. 

"When  the  train  moved  away  from  the  depot  a  great 
number  of  students  were  on  it  and  such  friendly  greetings 
as  passed  that  day  were  never  known  before  between  cadets 
and  students. 

At  White  River  Junction  the  train  stopped  and  the  large 
party  assembled  upon  and  about  the  platform  of  the  depot. 
Cadet  Carter,  who  had  been  selected  by  his  fellow  cadets 
for  the  duty,  now7  advanced  in  their  front  and  delivered  a 
parting  address  to  Capt.  Lyon,  which  was  distinguished  for 
its  good  diction,  noble  sentiment  and  fervent  patriotism  and 
which   was  delivered  in  such  an   elegant  and  yet  soldierly 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  31 

manner  that  the  Dartmouth  boys  were  somewhat  astonished. 

Our  hero  responded  briefly  but  feelingly,  and  promised 
that  he  would  never  give  his  alma  7nater  cause  to  be  ashamed 
of  him. 

As  he  closed,  the  tall  form  of  Staples  appeared  in  the 
open  space  before  the  cadets,  where  he  had  been  urged  by 
his  fellow  students,  and  now  being  called  upon  for  a  speech, 
he  said : — 

"  Young  Gentlemen  of  the  Norwich  University : — At 
this  crisis  in  our  national  affairs,  when  men  of  all  parties 
are  setting  aside  their  differences  to  unite  in  the  common 
defence  of  our  country,  it  seems  but  proper  that  the  stu- 
dents of  Dartmouth  and  cadets  of  Norwich  should  settle 
their  differences  and  unite  also,  if  need  be,  in  the  service  of 
the  nation.  In  order  to  do  this  effectually,  we  owe  you  an 
apology,  and  I  am  selected  to  make  it.  Although  we  have 
never  doubted  your  scholarship — your  full  equality  with  us 
in  the  arts  and  sciences — still  we  are  obliged  to  confess  that 
in  the  past  we  have  looked  upon  you  as  a  different  class  of 
young  men  from  ourselves — a  class  of  young  men  caught  by 
the  glitter  and  pomp  of  martial  array,  and  we  have  thought 
that  brass  buttons  and  a  neatly  fitting  uniform  were  the 
chief  attractions  of  Norwich  University  in  your  eyes.  We 
believed  you  were  wasting  your  time  in  learning  a  science 
which  could  never  be  of  service  to  you,  while  it  curtailed  your 
privileges  and  tied  you  down  to  irksome  discipline.  To-day 
we  see  our  mistake.  You  are  not  only  fitted  to  compete 
with  us  in  all  the  civil  professions,  but  now,  in  this  supreme 
hour  of  the  nation's  need,  your  military  education  makes 
you  our  superiors.  You  can  buckle  on  the  sword  and  lead 
men  in  the  present  conflict,  while  we  of  Dartmouth  must 
shoulder  the  musket.  For  one,  I  declare  that  I  should 
consider  it  an  honor  to  serve  under  any  graduate  of  Nor- 
wich University,  and  particularly  under  him  to  do  honor  to 
wThom  we  are  met  to-day.    (cheers.)    I  pledge  you  my  word 


32  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

that  before  many  months  have  passed  away  the  armies  of 
the  republic  shall  be  swelled  by  at  least  one  raw  recruit 
from  Old  Dartmouth,  and  on  the  muster-roll  of  his  com- 
pany you  will  find  the  name  of  Staples." 

The  speaker,  as  he  concluded,  was  rapturously  applaud- 
ed, and  then  a  general  handshaking  ensued. 

The  cadets  and  students  returned  together,  and  the 
former  escorted  the  latter  into  Hanover.  There  they  were 
received  in  the  chapel  and  addressed  by  one  of  the  profes- 
sors, who  referred  in  a  happy  manner  to  the  unanimity  of 
different  parties,  sects  and  cliques  of  men  in  view  of  the 
Union's  peril. 

A  firm  and  lasting  peace  was  thus  established,  and 
thereafter  both  parties  regarded  as  their  foes  only  the 
enemies  of  their  common  country. 

By  the  middle  of  October,  McClellan  found  himself  at 
the  head  of  150,000  men,  while  his  army  was  daily  being 
increased  by  the  arrival  of  regiment  after  regiment  from 
the  now  determined  North.  Part  of  the  troops  were 
moved  across  the  Potomac  and  encamped  upon  the  "  sacred 
soil "  of  Virginia,  the  regiment  to  which  Capt.  Lyon 
belonged  among  the  rest. 

The  autumn  and  winter  wore  away  in  drilling  the 
troops  and  preparing  them  for  active  service,  while  the 
country  waited  anxiously  for  a  general  advance.  But  the 
perhaps  over-cautious  commander-in-chief  did  not  see  fit  to 
order  one,  and  our  soldiers  did  not  enjoy  the  longed-for 
opportunity  to  measure  their  strength,  on  any  important 
field,  with  the  hosts  of  rebellion.  Ball's  Bluff  and  Draines- 
ville  relieved  the  monotony  somewhat,  but  in  neither  of 
these  engagements  did  our  hero  have  a  chance  to  distin- 
guish himself.  But  while  he  fretted  at  inactivity,  his  first 
battle  was  not  far  distant. 

Feb.  13th,  Gen.  Lander  led  4000  men  southward  from 
the  Potomac,  and  Tom's  regiment  was  a  part  of  this  force. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  33 

They  chose  a  route  whicli  would  best  screen  them  from  the 
observation  of  the  enemy's  scouts,  and  reached  the  Great 
Cacapon  at  night.  They  spent  half  the  night  in  throwing 
a  rude  bridge  across  this  stream,  but  they  worked  not  only 
with  a  will  but  with  knowledge.  Those  Vermonters  had 
worked  out  many  a  tax  on  the  highways  at  home,  and  they 
knew  something  about  bridge-building.  They  were  veterans 
in  the  use  of  the  ax,  and  the  stringers  were  soon  cut  and 
fixed  in  their  places.  Where  a  party  of  cavaliers  would 
have  gazed  hopelessly  from  bank  to  bank,  or  floundered  in 
the  water  in  attempting  to  cross,  these  sons  of  the  round- 
heads went  dry-shod,  not  through,  but  over  the  waters. 

u  Is  this  in  •your  district !  "  said  one  brawny  Green 
Mountain  boy  to  another. 

"  Wal  no  ;  I  guess  not.  We  must  be  a  leetle  over  the 
line,  but,  howsomever,  I  call  my  tax  worked  out." 

The  design  of  the  commander  was  to  surprise  a  force 
of  the  rebels  at  Blooming  Gap,  a  short  distance  beyond, 
and  the  men  were  ordered  to  move  as  silently  as  possible. 

Before  day  break  they  came  within  striking  distance, 
and  the  scouts  sent  in  advance  reported  the  enemy  unsus- 
picious of  an  attack. 

The  men  were  formed  in  proper  order  and  the  com- 
mand given  to  advance.  The  enemy's  pickets  were  driven 
in,  alarming  their  friends  as  they  retired.  The  rebels  pour- 
ed out  of  their  tents  half  clad  and  half  armed,  and  hastily, 
but  imperfectly,  formed  to  withstand  the  expected  onset. 

The  Unionists  with  cheers  charged  upon  the  bewilder- 
ed rebels. 

"  Follow  me,  Company  A  !"  cried  Captain  Tom  to  his 
men,  and  sword  in  hand  he  led  them,  sweeping  all  before 
him. 

It  was  a  hand  to  hand  fight  among  the  rebel  tents  in 
the  dim  morning  light,  but  the  enemy  was  forced  at  every 
point  to  give  way  before  the  furious  charge  of  our  troops, 


34  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  : 

who  burned  to  wipe  out  the  disgrace  of  Bull  Run  and  to 
avenge  the  slaughter  of  their  comrades  at  Ball's  Bluff,  where 
the  gallant  Baker  yielded  up  as  noble  a  life  as  the  Union 
had  to  offer. 

Many  of  the  rebels  fled  in  terror  from  the  field,  iiot  to 
return.  But  others  of  a  sterner  courage  wTere  no  sooner 
scattered  in  one  quarter,  then  they  re-formed  in  another,  as 
though  determined  not  to  submit  to  defeat  at  the  hands  of 
the  hated  Yankees.  Against  these  worthy  foemen  the  Ver- 
monters  fought  with  a  courage  which  would  not  have  sham- 
ed their  sires,  and  everywhere  victoriously.  Capt.  Lyon's 
cold  northern  blood  grew  warm  as  though  it  flowed  in 
southern  veins,  and  his  impetuosity  and  contempt  of  dang- 
er inspired  his  men  with  a  confident  courage  that  guaran- 
teed success. 

Not  more  than  a  fourth  of  the  enemy  now  remained  to 
dispute  the  field,  and  these  were  gathered  together  without 
much  regard  to  military  order.  They  were  parts  of  differ- 
ent disorganized  regiments  and  broken  companies — a  few  of 
the  bravest  who  stubbornly,  but  hopelessly,  contended  for 
victory. 

A  volley  was  poured  into  them  which  was  returned 
with  spirit  and  supplemented  with  yells  of  defiance. 

The  Vermonters,  being  in  closest  proximity  to  them, 
were  ordered  to  charge,  an  order  which  they  obeyed  with 
alacrity. 

"  Come  on,  you  cowardly  hounds  and  pick  out  your 
graves  ;  wre'll  dig  them  for  you,"  came  froni  the  rebel  ranks, 

"  We  are  coming,  my  friends,"  cried  Tom,  as  his  regi- 
ment rushed  upon  them. 

The  enemy  withstood  the  shock  and  for  a  few  minutes 
the  combatants  were  intermingled.  Swords  and  bayonets 
met  and  crossed  in  wild  confusion. 

Lyon's  sword  did  not  rest.  No  sooner  had  he  cleared 
of  foes  a  space  around  him,  than  he  sprang  again  into  the 


A  TALE    OF   THE    REBELLION.  35 

thickest  of  the  fight.     But  his  great  strength  and  skill  in 
the  use  of  his  weapon  preserved  him  harmless. 

Suddenly  he  found  himself  confronted  by  a  young 
southern  officsr  whose  daring  had  several  times  turned  the 
tide  of  battle  momentarily  in  favor  of  the  confederates. 

Their  swords  crossed  with  a  sharp  ring,  and  then  they 
looked  each  other  in  the  face.  It  was  light  enough  now  to 
to  distinguish  countenances  at  such  close  quarters,  and 
simultaneously  there  burst  from  their  lips  the  familiar 
names — 

"  Bill !" 

"  Tom  !" 

The  two  friends  were  face  to  face  on  the  field  of  battle. 
Instinctively  they  lowered  their  swords.  Never  before  had 
they  stood  opposed.  Before  they  could  find  further  words, 
there  was  a  rush  made  which  separated  them,  and  each 
found  himself  again  in  the  midst  of  his  own  comrades.  The 
momentary  meeting  seemed  to  both  like  a  vision  of  the 
night. 

Valor  was  of  no  avail  to  the  rebels,  surprised  as  they 
had  been,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  were  all  put  to  flight, 
young  Wolfe  escaping  with  the  rest.  The  contest  had  been 
as  brief  as  it  was  fierce. 

The  Unionists  took  about  a  hundred  prisoners  in  all,  a 
comparatively  large  number  of  them  being  officers. 

The  dead,  friend  and  foe,  were  buried,  the  spoils  col- 
lected, the  wounded  cared  for,  and  after  a  short  interval  for 
rest  and  refreshment,  the  expedition  took  up  the  line  of 
march  for  camp,  flushed  with  the  triumph  obtained,  though 
it  was  decisive  of  nothing  except  the  equal  courage  of 
northern  and  southern  men. 

Once  more  in  the  quiet  of  his  tent,  Capt.  Lyon  re-called 
his  sudden  and  unexpected  meeting  with  his  old  friend,  and 
realized,  more  strongly  than  he  had  done  before,  the 
fraticidal  nature  of  the  strife  in  which  he  was  engaged.     He 


36  THE   NORWICH   CADETS ! 

did  not  however  feel  any  less  inclination  to  prosecute  it  to 
a  victorious  issue.  He  felt  that  the  integrity  and  per- 
petuity of  the  Union  afforded  to  the  world  the  brightest 
hope  of  universal  freedom,  and  he  determined  to  further,  as 
much  as  in  him  lay,  the  accomplishment  of  the  defiant 
prophecy  of  Andrew  Jackson — "  The  Union  must  and  shall 
preserved." 


A   TALE   OP    THE   REBELLION. 


37 


CHAP  TEE   V. 


BY    THE    CAMP    FIRE ON    THE    PENINSULA WILLIAMSBURG CAPT. 

LYON  A  PRISONER AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING. 

O  K  more  than  another  month  the  main  body 
of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  remained  inactive. 
The  younger  officers  tried  to  make  the  time  pass 
as  pleasantly  as  they  could,  and  their  endeavors 
were  crowned  with  a  fair  measure  of  success.  A 
few  congenial  spirits  were  in  the  habit  of  col- 
lecting together  in  Capt.  Lyon's  tent,  and  some 
of  the  evenings  spent  there  were  very  enjoyable. 
The  story,  the  song  and  jest  went  round  as 
though  no  enemy  were  in  the  land,  and  war  and  bloodshed 
were  things  unknown.  The  party  was  usually  made  up  of 
Capts.  Lyon  and  Nason,  Lieuts.  Merritt  and  Safford,  the 
latters  brother,  Dr.  Safford,  and  private  Hank  Wait.  The 
last,  inside  the  tent,  was  on  an  equality  with  his  titled 
friends,  who  were  all  his  former  schoolmates  and  com- 
panions. They  made  no  pretence  of  superiority,  because 
there  was  none,  except  such  as  was  made  by  their  commis- 
sions and  shoulder-straps.  Our  army  was  very  democratic 
in  character,  especially  the  country  regiments.  Freemen, 
regarding  all  men  as  equal  and  accustomed  to  call  no  man 
lord,  could  not  easily  learn  to  look  upon  their  officers  as 
their  superiors  and  respect  them  as  such,  when  they  had 
known  them  for  years  in  civil  life  as  no  whit  better  than  them- 
selves— their  social  equals  and  co-laborers  in  peaceful  pur- 


38  T3E   NORWICH   CADETS: 

suits.  The  officers  themselves  generally  had  the  same  feel- 
ings,— so  different  from  the  sentiment  of  the  regular  army, 
and  from  that  to  be  observed  in  the  standing  armies  of 
foreign  countries. 

But  this  feeling  of  equality  between  men  and  officers 
was  not  so  conspicuous  in  city  regiments,  and  is  something 
which  cannot  endure  through  many  campaigns  in  any  regi- 
ment, though  the  rank  and  file  be  millionaires  and  Ad- 
mirable Crichtons.  An  army  is  a  perfect  example  of  despot- 
ism. Though  history  proves  that  the  citizens  of  republics 
— men  accustomed  to  the  enjoyment  of  liberty  and  equality 
— have  generally  made  good  and  brave  soldiers,  it  has  been 
rather  in  spite  of  than  because  of  the  tyranny  of  army  rule. 
Intelligent  men  who  have  volunteered  to  fight  for  a  cause 
they  esteem  their  own,  determine  to  put  up  for  a  while  with 
the  necessary  distinctions  of  rank,  and  to  sacrifice,  tem- 
porarily, their  personal  independence  and  equality  for  the 
common  good.     But  none  the  less  they  know  and  feel — 

"  The  rank  is  but  the  guinea's  stamp, 
The  man's  the  gowd  for  a1  that.11 

This  democratic  principle  reigned  supreme  in  Capt. 
Lyon's  tent  on  the  evenings  when  his  friends  met  together 
for  social  enjoyment. 

"  I  don't  wear  such  handsome  clothes  as  you  fellows," 
Hank  would  frequently  observe,  "  but  I  wear  the  hand- 
somest face." 

"  Can't  some  one  say  something  flattering  about  the 
Adonis-like  form  of  our  worthy  private?"  inquired  Capt. 
Tom,  pointing  at  the  corpulent  figure  of  Hank,  who  with  an 
altitude  of  barely  five  feet  five  carried  a  weight  of  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty  pounds  avoirdupois. 

"  When  I  took  lessons  in  drawing,  in  my  youth,  of  the 
lady  dauber  at  Green  River  Academy,"  said  the  tall  and 
spare  Dr.  Safford,  coiling  his  long  legs  two  or  three  times 
around  a  camp-stool,  "  I  was  told  that  the  curve  is  the  line 
of  beauty,  and  if  that  information  was  correct,  I  think  that 


A  TALE  OF  TIIE  REBELLION.  39 

private  Wait  has  numerous  claims  to  beauty  and  those  of 
no  ordinary  character." 

"  Perhaps  you  think  the  niullen  the  most  graceful  mem- 
ber of  the  vegetable  kingdom,"  retorted  Hank  ;  "  but  if  you 
do,  you  have  as  bad  a  taste  as  your  physic." 

ki  The  Johnny  rebs  can't  complain  that  Hank  don't  give 
hem  a  fair  target,"  said  Joe,  who  was  known  on  parade  as 
Lieut.  Safford. 

u  I  thought  you  was  my  friend,  Joe,"  said  Hank  with 
an  affected  tone  of  injured  feeling. 

"  I  am,  and  I  hope  you'll  remember  that,  and  let  me 
hide  behind  you  in  the  day  of  battle." 

"  No  need  of  that.  There  a'n't  a  sharp  shooter  on  the 
other  side  able  to  hit  such  narrow  strips  of  nothing  as  you 
and  the  Doctor." 

"  Come  Merritt,  sing  us  a  song,"  cried  Captain  Nason. 
"  These  fellows  are  all  so  handsome  and  witty,  that  I  begin 
to  feel  out  of  place  in  such  fine  company.  We  must  do 
something  brilliant  or  beat  a  retreat.  Let  me  give  you  an 
overture  to  bring  them  to  silence." 

Seizing  a  violin,  he  gave  it  a  few  scrapes  and  turns  of 
the  keys,  and  then  played  with  skill  a  lively  tune  which  put 
his  hearers  in  mind  of  festive  scenes,  where  joy  was  uncon- 
fined. 

Then  in  response  to  several  invitations,  Lieutenant 
Merritt  sang  in  a  clear,  melodious  voice  the  following  song  : 

I  sing  of  Vernionters,  the  bold  and  the  free, 

Whom  foremost  in  battle  their  country  shall  see  : 

Who  rush  from  their  mountains  like  the  spring  torrent's  How, 

And  bathe  the  green  vales  with  their  blood  as  they  go. 

Like  the  fierce  wind  that  blows  through  their  tall  mountain  pines, 

List  the  cheers  in  wild  chorus  that  ring  from  their  lines! 

Undaunted  by  dangers,  untrammeled  by  fears, 

Beat  the  hearts  in  the  breasts  of  Vermont's  volunteer-. 

Afar  thrown  the  scabbard  when  stirs  the  fierce  strife, 
They  clutch  the  bright  blade  and  each  blow  is  a  life; 
With  muscles  of  steel  and  with  iron-like  frame, 
They  write  with  their  bayonets  stories  of  fame. 


40  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

Their  springs  of  green  hemlock— the  badge  of  their  State  — 
Wherever  they  wave  are  the  gods*  nod  of  fate. 
O.  the  Green  Mountain  Boys,  the  bold  mountaineers— 
The  pride  of  their  State  are  Vermont's  volunteers. 

The  arms  that  have  wielded  the  scythe  and  the  ax. 
Can  beat  down  the  foe  like  the  grass  in  their  tracks: 
And  ey<  s  that  with  rifle  the  wild  hawk  can  take. 
Can  sight  the  broad  mark  that  a  traitor  will  make. 
From  boyhood  to  manhood,  trained  up  in  rough  sports. 
They  know  not  the  polish  of  courtiers  and  courts, 
But  where  there  are  deeds  that  befit  men  to  do, 
There,  foremost.  Vermonters  stand  gallant  and  true. 
Their  bayonets  gleam  on  the  fair  Southern  plain, 
Whose  blossoms  are  painted  with  blood  of  the  slain, 
And  grimly  the  mountaineer  leans  on  his  gun, 
On  the  field  of  fierce  carnage  his  valor  has*\on. 

But  the  thoughts  of  his  home,  of  his  dear  mountain  home, 
Where  the  green  hemlocks  bend  to  the  breezes  that  roam— 
These  start  down  the  powder-grimed  cheek  the  warm  tears 
Which  flow  from  the  hearts  of  Vermont's  volunteers. 

Where  the  loved  ones  were  left  in  the  snug  little  cot. 
"Mid  the  charms  of  a  home  which  can  ne'er  be  forgot  ; 
Where  the  rich  yellow  grain  upon  upland  and  vale, 
'Neath  the  bluest  of  skies,  grows  ripe  for  the  flail. 
There  the  soldier  will  gaze  through  the  mist  of  his  tears, 
But  to  gather  new  courage  and  kill  coward  fears . 
Hurrah  !  for  Vermont  !  for  her  bold  mountaineer^  ! 
Hurrah  !  for  Vermont  !  and  Vermont's  volunteer^  ! 

The  singer  ceased,  and  there  was  silence  for  a  few 
moments,  for  in  every  mind  tender  thoughts  of  home  had 
been  aroused  and  contended  with  patriotic  emotion  for  the 
mastery.  The  Doctor,  who  was  the  only  married  man  in 
the  company,  had  an  absent  look  upon  his  face. 

"Bravo!  Lieutenant,"  cried  Capt.  Nason.  "I  think 
we  may  venture  to  stop  here  a  while  longer.  If  our  courage 
and  patriotism  need  the  spur,  you  have  given  it  to  us." 

"  We  must  fight !  I  repeat  it  gentlemen,  we  must 
fight !"  exclaimed  Hank. 

"  Let  us  smoke  first,"  suggested  Joe,  "  you  will  have 
a  chance  to  lard  the  lean  earth,  yet,  Falstaff,  in  some  future 
Bull  Bun." 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  41 

"  Fill  your  pipes  gentlemen— pure  Virginia,  I  assure 
you— ami  then  I  shall  call  for  a  story  from  Dr.  Safford," 
said  Tom. 

"  Let  me  speak  a  piece,"  said  Hank. 

"Peace,  peace;  there  is  no  peace,"  and  we  don't  wish 
any  from  you.     A  story  from  the  Doctor." 

"  Shoulder  your  crutch — " 

"  And  saddle-bags — " 

"And  tell  how  fields  are  won." 

"No  doubt  you  need  to  know,"  replied  the  Doctor, 
"but  I  don't  wish  to  usurp  the  prerogative  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief. If  I  must  tell  a  tale,  it  will  have  to  be  one 
of  the  future— and  such  an  one  as  I  shall  tell  my  grand- 
children." 

"  Have  it  as  as  you  please,  and  begin." 

"  Give  us  the  title  and  say — Chapter  I.,  but  remember 
we  don't  want  any  continued  story." 

"  My  story  is  called 


"  Years  ago,  my  clear  grandchildren,  when  I  was  young, 
and  your  mother  was  a  baby,  occurred  the  great  rebellion 
of  which  you  have  read  in  your  school  histories.  There 
was  a  young  man  whom  I  knew  well,  named  Thomas  Lyon, 
and  he  was  as  full  of  courage  as  the  animal  whose  name  he 
bore.  He  went  to  the  war  as  a  captain.  He  would  have 
gone  as  a  private,  but  the  government  would  not  permit 
it.  He  had  a.  genius  for  command  and  it  was  thought  best 
to  clothe  him  with  authority.  In  his  first  battle  he  became 
frenzied  with  excitement  and  rushed  alone  and  singlehand- 
ed  upon  the  enemy,  though  he  knew  not,  at  the  time,  whith- 
er he  was  rushing.  His  men,  inspired  by  his  example, 
charged  recklessly  after  him,  and  the  victory  was  won.  For 
this  exhibition  of  gallant  conduct,  he  was  made  a  colonel. 
In  his  next  battle  he  was  surprised  with  his  regiment  ber 


42  THE   NORWICH    CADETS  : 

tween  two  detainments  of  the  enemy,  each  of  which  pour- 
ed in  a  galling  fire  upon  his  melting  ranks.  It  was  death 
to  remain  there  and  it  seemed  certain  destruction  to  move 
in  either  direction.  But  his  men  got  tired  of  being  shot 
down  like  sheep  in  a  pen,  and  charged  desperately  upon  that 
portion  of  the  enemy  which  had  got  between  them  and  the 
main  body  of  the  Union  army.  It  was  a  charge  home,  and 
nothing  could  withstand  it.  What  they  did  not  kill  of  the 
enemy,  they  drove  into  their  own  camp  as  prisoners.  In 
his  report  of  the  battle,  the  commanding  general  described 
the  affair  as  a  dashing  and  successful  attempt  to  divide  and 
thus  conquer  the  force  of  the  enemy.  The  colonel  was  im- 
mediately promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier  general. 

In  the  following  campaign,  a  certain  Gen.  Ryan  was 
severely  wounded  in  a  desperate  assault  upon  rebel  earth- 
works. In  the  report  of  this,  a  mistake  was  made,  owing  to 
the  similarity  of  names,  and  Gen.  Lyon  was  declared  the 
hero.  By  this  lucky  accident,  my  friend  became  a  major 
general.  Not  being  engaged  in  any  other  battles,  he  serv- 
ed creditably  through,  the  remainder  of  the  war,  and,  at  its 
close,  retired  upon  his  laurels  and  the  money  he  had  saved 
out  of  his  salary.  In  the  years  of  peace  which  followed, 
he  devoted  himself  to  politics  with  the  same  success  which 
he  enjoyed  in  war,  ever  moving  onward  in  the  pathway  to 
greatness.  He  filled  successively  the  highest  offices  in  the 
gift  of  his  native  state,  and  finally  a  grateful  people,  as  rep- 
resented by  the  Old  Soldiers'  Party,  nominated  him  for  the 
Presidency.  He  was  triumphantly  elected  and  re-elected, 
serving  two  terms.  Declining  a  third  election,  his  statue 
wras  placed  in  the  Capitol,  wThich  it  at  present  adonis.  And 
thus  you  see,  my  dear  grandchildren,  I  shall  remark,  "  how 
the  humblest  merit  may  rise  to  the  loftiest  position."  And 
my  grandson  Philip  will  proudly  exclaim, '"  Grandpa  knew 
that  man !     How  I  w^ish  there  would  be  another  war.'' 


A  TALE    OP   THE    REBELLION.  43 

"  Well,  Doctor,"  said  Tom,  after  allowing  the  others  to 
laugh,  "  I  don't  want  another  story,  and  if  I  did,  I  don't 
think  I  should  call  on  you  for  it." 

After  much  further  converse  upon  different  topics, 
Captain  Lyon's  guests  departed  for  their  respective  tents, 
and  soon  silence  settled  down  upon  the  great  army  sleeping 
upon  the  hostile  soil  of  the  Old  Dominion.  Camp-life  was 
made  comparatively  pleasant  by  those  who  were  determined 
to  be  happy,  as  almost  any  kind  of  life  can  be  made,  but  the 
most  careless  knew  that  there  was  stern  work  to  be  done 
and  hardships  to  be  endured  before  their  flag  could  wave 
again  over  a  united  country. 

Early  in  March,  the  enemy  abandoned  its  winter  camp 
and  retired  southward,  and  soon  after  there  was  an  advance 
of  our  grand  army  upon  Centreville  and  Manassas  which 
were  found  deserted.  Having  held,  occupied  and  possessed 
these  positions  without  bloodshed,  our  anaconda  army 
turned  its  head  toward  the  Potomac  again,  while  with  its 
tail  it  drove  Stonewall  Jackson  up  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  the  main  body  of 
the  army  was  transferred  to  Fortress  Monroe,  where  Gen. 
McClellan  arrived  on  the  2d  of  April  and  the  Peninsula 
Campaign  began.  Our  army  was  over  100,000  strong  and 
opposed  at  first  only  by  the  rebel  Gen.  Magruder,  who  held 
Yorktown  with  about  8,000  men.  Had  the  true  state  of 
affairs  then  been  known,  a  determined  advance  might  have 
forced  the  Confederacy  into  its  last  ditch  and  saved  us  the 
blood  and  treasure  of  the  sword-fish  policy  of  Gen.  Grant, 
which  was  afterward  found  necessary.  But  this  would  have 
spoiled  our  story,  as  well  as  the  reputation  of  sundry 
heroes  who  won  fame  for  themselves  in  the  succeeding 
campaigns. 

For  thirty  days  the  army  was  employed  in  throwing  up 
earth-works  for  the  siege  of  Yorktown.  When  about  ready 
to   drive   Magruder  from  his  works,  he  saved  them  the 


44  THE   NORWICH   CADETS  I 

trouble  and  expense  of  powder  by  quietly  withdrawing  and 
retreating  up  the  peninsula. 

The  pursuit  was  begun  by  Stoneman's  cavalry,  which 
•fras  followed  by  Hooker's,  Kearney's  and  three  other 
divisions  towards  Williamsburg,  where  the  enemy  was 
strongly  entrenched.  This  first  battle  for  the  possession 
of  Richmond  was  mainly  fought  by  Hooker's  division,  and 
resulted  in  a  victory  to  our  arms,  though  at  a  total  loss  of 
B  war  2,000  men. 

The  forest  was  felled  for  a  breadth  of  half  a  mile  in  front 
of  the  rebel  works,  to  obstruct  the  advance  of  our  troops. 
Two  regiments  were  sent  into  the  timber,  while  the  others, 
with  two  batteries,  advanced  into  the  cleared  field  on  the 
right. 

.  Now,  for  the  first  time.  Capt.  Lyon  found  himself  en- 
gaged in  a  great  battle,  and  he  and  his  fun-loving  com- 
panions of  the  Potomac  camp  proved  that  they  could  fight 
as  well  as  laugh  and  sing. 

"  Now  Tom,"  said  Nason,  as  he  came  near,  "is  a  chance 
to  fulfill  the  doctor's  prophecy  and  win  a  colonel's  commis- 
sion." 

"  I  don't  think  I'm  crazy  enough  yet  for  that,  but  where 
is  he  ? — in  the  rear  waiting  to  saw  off  our  legs  ?" 

"  I'm  here,  Thomas,"  said  the  tall  surgeon  just  behind 
him  ;  "  I  want  to  be  on  hand  when  you  run  against  one  of 
those  'bare  bodkins  '  over  yonder." 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Lyon,  as  Fort  Magruder  again 
opened  upon  them,  dropping  all  conversation  in  the  roar  of 
its  guns. 

Soon  after  a  large  body  of  Confederates  were  seen 
charging  towards  them  in  gallant  style,  yelling  as  they 
came. 

"  Steady,  boys,  steady,"  sounded  along  the  line  ;  "don't 
fire  till  you  are  ordered." 

"  And  then  don't  waste  your  powder — fire  low,"  said 
Lt.  Joe  to  his  men. 


A   TALE   OP   THE   REBELLION.  45 

On  came  the  enemy  with  furious  speed.  It  required 
great  courage  calmly  to  wait  their  approach. 

"  Stand  firm  !  "  growled  Lyon  to  his  company. 

"  You  can  count  on  me  ;  I  am  too  fat  to  run,"  replied 
Hank,  raising  a  laugh  even  in  that  moment  of  peril. 

The  enemy  were  within  a  few  rods  of  them — their 
faces  plainly  distinguishable. 

"  Fire  !  "  rang  out  in  a  clear  tone. 

A  tremendous  volley  was  poured  into  the  advancing 
foe,  nearly  every  bullet  doing  execution. 

The  rebels  fell  by  scores  ;  their  ranks  were  broken  ; 
they  halted  and  staggered  as  though  uncertain  whether  to 
advance  or  retreat. 

"  Fire  !  "  rang  out  again  the  same  clear  voice. 

Another  volley,  fired  with  equal  effect,  completed  the 
demoralization  of  the  enemy.     They  turned  and  fled. 

"  Upon  them,  boys  !  "  cried  Capt.  Lyon,  waving  his 
sword  and  dashing  forward  followed  by  his  men. 

"  I  can't  run,  but  I  will  walk,"  said  Hank,  and  he  fol- 
lowed slowly  after,  loading  as  he  went. 

Pursuit  was  useless,  as  well  as  dangerous,  owing  to 
the  nearness  of  the  rebel  batteries,  and  Company  A,  with 
its  impetuous  Captain,  was  quickly  re-called  by  the  command- 
ing officer. 

Twice  more  the  rebels  charged  the  position  held  by 
the  Green  Mountain  Boys,  each  time  with  fresh  troops  and 
with  increased  numbers  and  more  resolute  purpose.  But 
each  time  they  were  repulsed  with  great  slaughter,  though 
not  without  inflicting  severe  loss  upon  their  opponents. 
Here  sank  down  many  to  mingle  their  ashes  with  the  dust 
of  an  empire  built  upon  slavery — voiceless  but  perpetual 
pleaders  for  that  liberty  for  which  they  died— and  the 
Mends  they  left  in  northern  homes  looked  with  unsatisfied 
eyes  to  see  their  faces  among  the  returning  brave. 


46  THE   NORWICH    CADETS: 

Gen.  Longstreet's  division  of  the  rebel  army  now 
arrived  on  the  field,  and  a  fresh  attempt  was  made  to  push 
back  our  forces.  The  struggle  wras  long  and  of  doubtful 
issue,  but  the  enemy  was  at  last  repulsed,  though  our  sold- 
iers used  up  all  their  ammunition  and  all  they  could  find  in 
the  boxes  of  their  dead  comrades,  before  they  accomplished 
the  repulse  of  their  determined  assailants. 

But  the  desperate  courage  displayed  could  not  alone, 
in  every  case,  command  success.  Another  assault  on  our 
front  from  the  direction  of  Fort  Magruder  found  our  men 
with  only  bayonets  to  repel  it. 

As  the  enemy  came  on,  once  more  the  order  was  given 
to  charge  and  meet  them.  "With  a  northern  cheer,  which 
equalled  in  volume  the  southern  yell,  our  men  sprang 
forward.  Hand  to  hand  they  fought  till  the  dead  and 
dying  lay  thick  upon  the  ground,  which  was  red  with  their 
blood.  Capt.  Lyon  displayed  a  valor  which  brought  upon 
him  the  particular  attention  of  the  enemy. 

"  Stand  to  them  !"  he  cried ;  "  not  a  step  backward  !"  as 
his  sword  flashed  in  the  air  and  descended  with  a  force 
which  sent  his  nearest  antagonist  a  corpse  to  the  earth. 
Again  it  flashed,  reeking  with  blood  and  fell  with  a  death- 
blow. But  the  odds  were  too  great  in  the  advanced 
position  he  was  attempting  to  hold.  His  foes  swarmed 
about  him  ;  they  made  a  rush  which  foi  ced  back  our  troops, 
and  when  the  rebel  wave  retired,  it  carried  with  it  about 
two  hundred  of  our  men  as  prisoners.  Among  them  was 
Capt.  Lyon,  disarmed  and  furious  at  his  capture,  but, 
thanks  to  his  good  sword  and  his  good  training,  without  a 
single  wound. 

"  Come,  Yank  ;  you're  bagged.  Double-quick  it  now 
— we  can't  stop  here,"  said  one  of  his  captors,  hurrying  him 
along. 

"  You  want  to  go  to  Richmond  so  bad  it  would  be  a 
pity  to  prevent  you,"  said  another. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  47 

"  I  reckon  if  he  can't  take  Richmond,  that  Richmond 
can  take  him,"  said  a  third  jocose  rebel. 

Tom  deigned  no  reply  to  these  remarks,  but  hoping  yot 
to  be  recaptured  before  the  close  of  the  battle,  he  was  taken 
within  the  rebel  lines  and.sent  to  the  rear. 

•    His  hopes  of  recapture  were  not  destined  to  be  fulfilled. 

That  night  the  Confederates  evacuated  Williamsburg, 
leaving  the  disputed  field  to  be  occupied  by  our  army.  In 
this  particular  the  battle  was  a  victory  to  our  arms,  but  our 
loss,  over  2,000  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  was 
probably  quite  as  large  as  that  of  the  enemy.  We  took  over 
a  thousand  prisoners,  a  larger  number  than  we  lost,  but  the 
most  of  them  were  wounded  men  whom  the  enemy 
abandoned  in  their  hasty  retreat. 

Gen.  McClellan  claimed  the  victory  in  the  following 
dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of  War  : 

"  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  ) 

Williamsburg,  May  6,  1862.  j 

Hon.  E.  M.   Stanton^  Secretary  of   War: — Every  hour 

proves*  our  victory  more   complete.     The  enemy's  loss  is 

great,  especially  in  officers.     I  have  just  heard  of  five  more 

of  their  guns  captured.     Prisoners  are  constantly  arriving. 

G.  B.  McCLELLAN, 

Ma  j.- Gen.  Commanding." 
The  night  after  the  battle,  our  hero  found  himself  on 
the  road  to  Richmond,  against  his  will.  He  did  not  know 
how  the  battle  had  gone,  but  rightly  judged  by  the  evi- 
dences of  retreat  around  him,  that  it  had  gone  in  favor  of 
the  Union.  He  bitterly  regretted  the  prospect  of  inactivity 
before  him  while  he  marched  along  with  his  fellow-prisoners, 
guarded  by  rebels  on  every  side.  Among  them  were  a  few 
prisoners  from  a  New  Hampshire  regiment  and  as  Tom 
scanned  their  faces,  he  thought  he  recognized  one  who  wore 
a  captain's  uniform.  At  the  same  time  the  New  Hampshire 
man,  probably  also  looking  for  a  familiar  face,  glanced  at 


48  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

our  hero,  and  with  a  peculiar  smile  approached  him  and  ex 
tended  his  hand. 

It  wras  Sophomore  Staples  of  Dartmouth  College, 
cadet  Wolfe's  antagonist  hi  the  battle  of  Hanover,  describ- 
ed in  a  former  chapter. 

"  Friends,  now,  Captain,  are  wre  !  "  inquired  Staples. 

"  Yes,"  returned  Tom  frankly,  grasping  the  extended 
hand,  "  friends  and  brothers  in  misfortune." 

"  Fdicitas  multos  habet  amicos — prosperity  has  many 
friends — adversity  but  few,"  said  the  collegian. 

"  True,"  returned  Tom  ;  "  and  those  of  prosperity  not 
only  fall  away  from  us,  but  often  become  our  enemies," 
sadly  thinking,  as  he  spoke,  of  his  friend  Bill. 

"  That  reminds  me,"  said  the  other,  "  of  my  former 
enemy  and  victor.     What  has  become  of  him  ?  " 

"  He  is  in  the  confederate  service,  and  probably  with 
this  army." 

u  I  hope  he  won't  feel  it  due  to  his  honor  to  finish  the 
job  of  killing  me  which  he  began  so  vigorously  on  that 
night,  you  remember,"  said  Staples,  laughing. 

"  Never  fear ;  Wolfe  is  as  noble  as  he  is  brave.  He 
never  attacks  any  one  unless  he  feels  pretty  sure  that  the 
chances  are  in  favor  of  his  being  whipped  in  the  encounter. 
I  don't  think  he  will  ever  distinguish  himself  in  the  pursuit 
of  a  beaten  enemy." 

Thus  conversing  together,  the  two  walked  on  cheerfully 
to  prison. 

That  same  evening  the  friends  of  Capt.  Lyon,  missing 
him,  sought  his  body  on  the  field  of  battle ;  but  no  trace  of 
him  was  found. 

"  Not  dead,  then,  it  is  certain,"  said  Capt.  Nason. 

"  Probably  wounded  and  taken  prisoner"  said  Lieuten- 
ant Merritt. 

"  Our  future  president  is  no  doubt  a  prisoner,"  said 
Dr.   Safford,  deliberately,  "  but  it  is  my  opinion  that  he  is 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  -49 

not  seriously  wounded,  if  at  all.  We  know  that  the  rebels 
have  left  their  own  wounded  behind  them,  and  it  is  not 
likely  that  they  have  taken  any  of  ours." 

In  this  opinion  all  coincided,  and  somewhat  relieved, 
yet  sad  at  the  loss  of  the  favorite  of  the  mess,  they  return- 
ed to  the  bivouac  of  the  regiment  and  cast  themselves 
down  upon  the  ground  to  sleep  as  well  as  they  could  amid 
such  horrible  surroundings — all  except  the  Doctor,  who  was 
busy  all  night,  nearly,  in  attending  to  the  wounded. 


50  THE  NORWICH  cadets: 


CHAPTER    VI. 

LIBBY  PRISON COL.  WOLFE HELOISE C^SAR,  ONE  OF  THE  BONES 

OF  CONTENTION LOVE A  HOPE  OF  ESCAPE. 


8 


A  P  T  A  I  N  S  Lyon  and  Staples  were  con- 
ffg  ducted  to  Richmond  and  lodged  in  Libby  pris- 
^  on,  where  they  were  treated  wTith  as  much  kind- 
ness as  they  had  reason  to  expect.  They  had 
nothing  to  complain  of  except  that  they  were 
prevented  frorn  participating  in  the  fighting 
wmich  they  knew  to  be  going  on  around  the 
C{>  rebel  capital  in  which  they  were  confined. 
Their  anxious  inquiries  elicited  no  satisfactory  respons- 
es from  the  jailor,  but  they  rested  in  the  confident  hope 
that  McClellan  would  prove  victorious,  and,  making  a  trium- 
phal entry  into  Richmond,  burst  open  the  doors  of  their 
prison  and  set  them  free. 

t  Had  they  known  the  actual  result  of  the  Seven  Days' 
battle — that  the  star-spangled  banner  was  being  trailed  in 
the  mire  of  retreat  through  White  Oak  Swamp,  instead  of 
waving  aloft  in  advance  on  Richmond — they  would  have 
hummed  the  national  anthem  a  few  times  less  than  they  did. 
But  they  could  not  long  remain  in  ignorance  of  the  truth. 
The  air  was  full  of  tidings  from  the  battlefield,  and  the 
very  wind  seemed  to  tell  of  success  to  the  Confederate 
arms. 


A  TALE    OF   THE    REBELLION.  51 

Portions  of  the  victorious  rebel  army  entered  the  city, 
and  the  shoutings  and  rejoicings  sufficiently  corroborated 
the  story  of  the  wind. 

The  two  prisoners  grew  melancholy,  but  more  at  the 
defeat  of  their  comrades  than  at  their  own  unpleasant  con- 
dition. 

"  The  prospect  isn't  very  cheering,"  remarked  Lyon. 

"  No,"  returned  Staples.  "  I  fear  a  great  disaster  has 
befallen  our  army  ;  perhaps  it  has  been  destroyed." 

"  I  don't  believe  that  such  an  army  as  we  had  has  al- 
lowed itself  to  be  destroyed  or  captured.  It  has  been  forced 
to  retire,  no  doubt,  but  there  is  fight  left  in  it  yet,  and 
these  jubilant  individuals,  outside  our  present  residence, 
will  find  it  out  some  future  day." 

The  door  swung  open  and  a  Confederate  colonel  enter- 
ed the  room.  With  a  hasty  glance  at  the  inmates,  he  step- 
ped quickly  towards  Captain  Lyon.  The  Norwich  C.idets 
confronted  each  other. 

The  two  Mends  clasped  hands.  Smiles  lighted  up 
their  faces,  while  there  was  a  suspicious  moisture  in  their 
eyes.  The  circumstances  in  which  they  again  met  impress- 
ed them  with  some  feelings  of  sadness,  but  they  were  soon 
cast  off.  Shaking  his  friend's  hand  heartily,  Bill  exclaimed 
in  the  merry  voice  of  old : 

"  Welcome  to  Kichmond  !  " 

"  Thank  you,"  returned  Tom,  in  the  same  tone,  "  for 
your  cordial  hospitality  ;  and  allow  me  to  express  the  hope 
that,  at  no  distant  day,  I  may  have  the  pleasure  of  welcom- 
ing you  to  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave." 

"  I  shall  be  happy  to  see  you  at  any  time,  I  assure  you, 
but  I  prefer  that  the  meeting  be  on  some  other  soil.  I  fear, 
as  our  friend  Condon  could  poetically  express  it — 

'  The  land  of  the  free 

Would  prove  a  prison  to  me.'  " 


§2  THE  NOfiWlCH  cadets: 

Bill  here  glanced  at  Capt.  Staples  inquiringly.  The 
latter  approached  as  if  doubtful  of  the  reception  he  would 
meet  with. 

"  Allow  me,  Col.  Wolfe,"  said  Tom,  "  to  bring  to  your 
remembrance  an  old  acquaintance — Capt.  Staples  of  Han- 
over, formerly  commander  of  the  Dartmouth  Sophomore 
Brigade." 

"  A  second  time  your  vanquished  enemy,"  said  Staples. 

Bill  took  his  hand  while  he  laughingly  replied — 

"  I  ask  a  truce  to  bury  old  animosities.  I  see  that 
Tom  is  now  on  your  side,  and  I  fear  he  would  not  step  in 
to  save  me  from  a  whipping,  as  he  did  when  we  met  be- 
fore." 

Friendly  relations  being  thus  established,  the  three  sat 
down  for  a  pleasant  conference  upon  things  past  and 
present.  Each  had  many  inquiries  to  make,  and  much  in- 
formation to  impart,  and  the  time  passed  so  agreeably  that 
the  two  Unionists  almost  forgot  that  they  were  prisoners, 
and  that  their  pleasant  companion  wore  the  uniform  of  an 
enemy. 

"Promotion  must  be  rapid  in  the  Confederate 
service,"  said  Tom,  pointing  to  his  friend's  shoulder  straps. 

"  It  has  to  be,  that  we  may  keep  up  with  you.  We 
don't  commence  as  brigadiers,"  returned  Bill. 

"  How  happened  you  to  find  us  out  so  soon  ?"  inquired 
Tom,  "  I  feared  I  should  not  see  you." 

"  I  heard  some  Yankee  officers  were  taken,  and  know- 
ing your  natural  tendency  to  get  into  trouble,  I  thought 
you  might  be  one  of  them,  and  came  to  see." 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  came,  and  hope  you  will  excuse 
me  if  I  don't  return  your  call.  Circumstances  beyond  my 
control  oblige  me  to  keep  the  house  quite  closely  for  the 
present." 

"  You  are  quite  excusable."  • 


A   TALE  OP   THE  REBELLION.  53 

"  Tell  me,"  continued  Tom,  "  if  there  is  anything  left 
of  our  army, — if  it  won't  be  giving  too  much  information 
to  the  enemy.    I  suppose  we  have  been  whipped." 

"  I  think  you  have  been — 3orry  to  pain  you  with  dis- 
agreeable news — and  your  whole  army  has  left,  not  is 
left,  though  most  of  it  is  safe  enough  for  the  present.  Little 
Mac.  has  '  changed  his  base,'  I  think  he  calls  it  that." 

After  some  further  talk,  Col.  Wolfe  rose  to  take  his 
leave. 

"  Keep  up  your  spirits  boys  ;  it  is  the  fortune  of  war 
that  we  should  be  vanquished  sometimes  ;  we  can't  always 
be  victors.  I  will  call  on  you  as  often  as  I  can  until  my 
regiment  moves,  and,  meanwhile,  I  will  see  that  your 
rations  are  improved  in  quality,  and  that  you  are  supplied 
with  tobacco." 

"  Go,  miserable  comforter,  but  don't  forget  the 
tobacco,"  replied  Tom,  as  the  door  closed  behind  his  Mend. 

This  visit  was  as  a  gleam  of  sunshine  within  the  walls 
of  Libby,  and  the  prisoners  felt  more  reconciled  to  their 
confinement  for  knowing  that  they  had  at  least  one  personal 
friend  among  the  enemy. 

The  next  morning  they  found  their  breakfast  superior 
to  anything  which  they  had  experienced  before,  and  they 
were  able  to  supplement  it  with  some  fine  cigars,  a  box  of 
which  had  been  handed  them  by  the  jailor. 

In  the  afternoon  they  received  another  visit  from  Col. 
Wolfe.  He  entered,  accompanied  by  a  young  lady  whom  he 
introduced  as  his  sister. 

Heloise  Wolfe  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  of 
slight  but  graceful  form,  clear  brunette  complexion  and 
fine  regular  features.  Her  eyes  were  large,  black  and  elo- 
quent and  her  wavy  hair,  of  the  same  hue,  was  of  luxuriant 
growth.  She  had  a  bright  sparkling  beauty  calculated  to 
dazzle  the  beholder,  but  beauty  was  not  her  only  charm. 
Possessed  of  superior  intelligence  without  being  strong- 


54  THE   NORWICH    CADETS: 

minded,  in  the  late  sense  of  that  abused  term  ;  animated  in 
conversation,  without  being  disposed  to  monopolize  it ;  of 
high  principle  and  earnest  nature  ;  generous,  impulsive  and 
sincere,  with  a  dash  of  the  chivalric  temperament  of  her 
brother,  whom  she  strongly  resembled,  she  was  a  sister  to 
be  proud  of,  as  Col.  Wolfe  evidently  thought.  Capt.  Lyon, 
as  he  gazed  upon  her  with  poorly  concealed  admiration,  felt 
like  transferring  his  affection  from  the  brother  to  the  sister. 

"  My  sister  has  heard  so  much  of  you,  Capt.  Lyon — of 
your  prowess,  beauty,  etc., — that  on  hearing  you  had  taken 
up  your  residence  temporarily  among  us,  and  that  I  was 
coming  to  see  you,  she  insisted  on  accompanying  me, — 
doubting  I  suppose,  wThether  she  would  otherwise  have  an 
opportunity  of  making  your  acquaintance.  I  tried  to  dis- 
suade her  by  telling  her  you  were  one  of  the  vandal  army 
come  to  sack  our  cities  and  desolate  our  homes,  and  that  it 
was  a  part  of  her  duty,  as  a  southerner,  to  hate  all  such. 
She,  however,  thought  it  only  a  Christian  duty  to  visit  the 
prisoner,  and  I  finally  allowed  her  to  come." 

"  You  know  my  brother  Willie  so  well,  Capt.  Lyon,"  said 
Miss  Heloise,  smiling  in  so  distracting  a  manner  that  the 
Union  officer  felt  himself  doubly  a  prisoner,  "  that  you  will 
interpret  his  speech  correctly.  It  means  that  I  feel  it  not 
only  a  duty,  but  a  pleasure  to  visit  one  whom  my  brother 
esteems  so  highly  as  he  does  yourself." 

u  I  am  sure  your  motives  are  worthy  of  you,  Miss 
Wolfe,  and  I  thank  you  for  the  honor  you  do  me,  but  I  fear 
your  brother  has  spoken  more  highly  of  me  than  I  deserve," 
replied  Capt.  Lyon,  bowing  low  before  the  young  lady. 

"  My  gallant  friend  exemplifies  the  saying  that  true 
merit  is  always  modest,"  said  Col.  Wolfe. 

"  True  friendship  ought  not  to  be  so  satirical,"  said 
Lyon.     "  Be  merciful." 

"  I  doubt  whether  I  ought  to  show  much  mercy  to  an 
enemy  of  the  Confederacy.  It  would  be  setting  a  bad 
example." 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  55 

"  My  brother  is  suspicious  of  my  loyalty,"  said  Heloise, 
"  because  I  cannot  get  over  my  love  for  the  old  Ha"-." 

"  Thank  God  you  cannot,"  replied  Lyon  warmly,  grow- 
ing more  enamored  of  her  as  he  perceived  that  she  was  not 
a  venomous  secessionist. 

"  Treason  !    cried  Bill,  half  in  earnest,  half  in  jest. 

"  That  can  be  no  crime  in  the  Confederacy,"  said  Tom. 
"  The  divine  right  of  treason  is  the  very  soul  of  your  gov- 
ernment." 

"  So  I  tell  them,"  said  Heloise,  gleefully,  and  that  I 
have  a  right  to  secede  all  alone  by  myself  if  I  choose." 

"  I  think  I  had  better  take  you  away,  Miss,  before  you 
are  utterly  perverted.  The  very  air  is  tainted  with  unionism 
here,"  said  her  brother. 

"  You  see,  Captain,  my  reputation  for  southern  loyalty 
is  not  very  good." 

"  I  trust  your  charitable  kindness  hi  visiting  a  Union 
prisoner  will  not  give  you  an  unpleasant  reputation  in  your 
circle  of  friends.  If  it  does  I  shall  regret  the  visit,  much 
as  it  has  brightened  one  day  of  a  tiresome  captivity." 

''Never  fear  for  her,  Tom,"  said  Bill;  "no  one  has 
thought  of  indicting  her  for  treason  yet." 

"  No  ;  they  let  me  say  what  I  please,  because,  I  sup- 
pose, they  think  I'm  not  worth  minding." 

Tom  did  not  say,  but  he  looked  as  if  he  was  of  the 
opinion  that  they  were  very  stupid  who  thought  so. 

"  It  is  really  time  that  we  should  go,"  said  Bill,  sud- 
denly growing  serious,  as  he  took  his  friend's  hand.  "  I 
have  left  my  bad  news  unsaid  till  the  last.  My  regiment 
leaves  to-morrow ;  Tom  and  I  cannot  tell  when  we  shall 
meet  again.  I  have  taken  measures  to  have  yon  made  com- 
fortable as  long  as  you  remain  here,  and  my  sister  will 
further  my  intentions  as  much  as  she  is  able." 

"Your  generosity  is  appreciated,  Bill,  but  I  would  be 
content  on  half  rations  if  they  were  seasoned  with  your 


56  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

company.  But  you  must  go,  of  course.  I  can't  wish  you 
success — my  patriotism  won't  admit  of  that — but  I  do 
hope  you  will  be  taken  prisoner  and  kept  in  close  confine- 
ment till  the  close  of  the  war." 

"  Thank  you  for  your  good  wishes,  Tom,  but  I  hope 
they  are  not  prophetic.'' 

Good-bye  was  said,  and  Wolf  and  his  sister  retired. 

"A  glorious  fellow  !"  exclaimed  Staples,  who  very  much 
admired  his  former  antagonist. 

"  She  is  "  returned  Capt.  Lyon,  abstractedly,  gazing  at 
a  patch  of  sky  through  the  grated  window. 

Our  hero  did  not  appear  to  be  very  communicative  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  the  day  and  evening,  and  Staples 
finally  gave  up  the  attempt  to  engage  him  in  conversation. 
He  was  busy  with  his  own  thoughts,  but  whether  they  were 
sad  or  pleasant  was  not  discernible.  The  next  day,  howev- 
er, he  was  more  companionable ;  but  now  that  Col.  Wolfe 
came  no  more  to  visit  them  our  friends  would  have  found 
their  life  al  Libby  almost  intolerable  had  not  Miss  Heloise 
taken  it  upon  herself  to  show  a  generous  kindness  to  her 
brother's  friend. 

Her  father  held  office  under  the  confederate  govern- 
ment and  the  family,  therefore,  resided  at  Richmond.  The 
doors  of  Libby  prison  were  open  to  Heloise,  without  ques- 
tion, whenever  she  chose  to  enter  them  and  she  frequently 
visited  the  Yankee  prisoners  accompanied  by  her  sable 
attendant,  Caesar,  a  young  slave  about  twenty  years  old, 
bom  and  bred  in  the  family  and  entirely  devoted  to  his 
handsome  young  mistress. 

Caesar  was  a  well  built  young  fellow,  as  black  as  ebony, 
with  teeth  and  eyes  in  remarkable  contrast  with  Ins  shining 
skin.  Of  a  happy  and  faithful  disposition  and  possessed  of 
much  natural  shrewdness,  he  was  a  favorite  family  servant 
and  occupied  a  much  easier  position  in  life  than  human 
chattels  generally  do. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  57 

"  How  happens  it,"  said  Capt.  Lyon  one  day  to  Caesar, 
u  that  with  such  a  name  as  yours,  you  are  not  in  the  army  T 

"  Didn't  pick  .out  my  own  name,  massa  ;  dunno  noffin' 
'bout  war ;  young  massa  William  do  all  de  fightm  for  de 
family.  I'se  willin';  de  smell  ob  powder  am  stremely  ob- 
noxious to  dis  child." 

Heloiso  brought  books  and  papers  which  helped  great- 
ly to  relieve  the  monotony  of  prison-life,  and  many  delicacies, 
which  were  not  in  the  prison  bill  of  fare,  found  their  way  to 
the  room  occupied  by  our  friends.  But  more  highly  prized 
than  the  material  comforts  which  she  brought,  was  the 
pleasure  of  her  company.  She  generally  sat  down  and 
spent  some  time  in  cheerful  conversation,  and  the  moments 
thus  brightened  seemed  to  shed  a  radiance  over  all  the  re- 
maining day. 

In  the  interchange  of  sentiment  which  occurred  on 
these  occasions,  which  were  quite  frequent,  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Capt.  Lyon  with  his  friend's  sister  gradually  ripen- 
ened  into  a  tender  intimacy. 

As  this  fact  became  apparent  to  the  sharp  eyes  of  Capt. 
Staples,  he  withdrew  himself  as  much  as  possible  from 
the  company  of  the  lovers,  offering  as  a  poor  apology, 
when  his  silence  was  noticed — which  was  not  often — his 
absorbing  interest  in  the  book  he  was  reading.  On  one 
such  occasion  he  had  a  volume  of  sermons  and  having  read 
one  of  these,  without  looking  at  the  title,  he  was  exercising 
his  ingenuity  in  guessing  at  the  text.  With  all  his  Yankee 
talent  in  that  direction,  however,  he  was  very  wdde  of  the 
mark. 

Our  hero  found  that  Heloise  w^as  at  heart  a  Union 
woman ;  that  she  very  much  regretted  the  disruption  of 
those  ties  which  bound  the  North  and  South  together  and 
contributed  so  much  to  their  strength,  prosperity  and  hap 
piness,  and  that  she  was  far  from  feeling  satisfied  with  the 
position  which  her  father  and  brother  had  seen  fit  to  take, 

H 


58  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  : 

She  cordially  sympathized  with  Lyon  in  his  aspirations 
after  a  restoration  of  the  Union  and  grieved  over  disaster 
to  the  federal  arms  which  threatened,  at  the  least,  to  delay 
the  day  of  triumph.  She  did  not  forget  that  the  gallant 
man  in  whom  she  felt  a  growing  interest  owed  to  his 
patriotism,  his  deprivation  of  liberty,  and  she  tried  to  con- 
sole him  as  best  she  could,  in  his  irksome  confinement,  and 
to  rconcile  him  to  the  inactivity  which  seemed  decreed. 

"  When  first  taken  prisoner,"  said  he,  "  I  felt  that  I 
could  hardly  endure  a  protracted  confinement,  and  know 
that  while  I  was  unable  to  strike  a  blow,  my  brave  com- 
panions would  be  fighting  the  battles  of  our  country." 

"  I  know  you  long  to  be  with  your  regiment  again, 
devastating,  as  Will  says,  the  fair  homes  of  the  South,  but 
you  must  try  to  be  patient." 

u  I  think  that  of  late  I  am  learning  to  excel  in  that 
virtue.  Since  captivity  led  me  to  you,  Heloise,  I  feel  like 
blessing  the  fate  that  made  me  captive." 

;'  And  yet,  how  your  eyes  would  brighten  to  learn  that 
you  were  to  be  exchanged." 

"  I  fear  that  they  would  weep.  Is  treason  infecting  my 
heart,  or  " 

"Love,"  said  Staples,  reading  unconsciously  aloud,  "is 
the  fulfilling  of  the  law." 

The  speakers  glanced  hurriedly  at  the  reader,  but  he 
seemed  not  to  be  aware  of  their  presence,  and  ignorant  of 
having  taken  any  part  in  the  conversation. 

"  My  friend  is  no  doubt  correct,"  said  Tom,  smiling  and 
speaking  in  a  lower  tone,  but  Uncle  Sam  has  other  views  of 
a  soldier's  duty." 

"  Not  if  the  love  be  love  of  country,"  said  Heloise  in- 
tently regarding  the  floor,   k'  that  is  the  grander  passion." 

"  Ah !  I  know,  I  love  my  country,  Heloise,  but  that  is 
not  the  love  that  reconciles  me  to  captivity." 


A  TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION'.  59 

*c  No  :  nor  does  any  other.  Yon  would  break  through 
these  barred  windows,  if  yon  thought  that  liberty  was  on 
the  ontside  of  them." 

Lyon  half  rose  from  his  seat,  as  if  a  new  idea  had 
struck  him,  then  sinking  back,  said  slowly.  "  Tis  true  ;  I 
should  :  but  I  should  love  you  none  the  less." 

fi  You  confess  you  would  desert  me.  if  you  could,"  said 
Heloise,  playfully. 

"  Not  you,  but  Richmond." 

In  a  little  while,  Heloise  with  Caesar  took  her  departure, 
Staples  rising  long  enough  to  bid  her  good  afternoon. 

But  when  the  door  was  closed,  locked  and  bolted,  and 
the  prisoners  were  left  alone  again,  the  New  Hampshire 
man  sat  down  with  a  yawn  over  the  shut  book  of  sermons, 
which  he  held  in  his  hand,  and  then,  turning  his  eyes  sleepily 
toward  the  beaming  face  of  his  companion,  he  inquired — ■ 

"  Lyon,  have  you  been  reading  this  sermon  on  the 
"  Cheerful  uses  of  Adversity  ?'" 

"  No,  why  do  you  ask  ?" 

"  Because  you  seem  to  be  growing  happier  every  day, 
and  I  am  sure  we  are  in  adversity.'' 

••  We  are  in  the  hands  of  our  adversaries,  but  why  let 
them  restrain  our  spirits  as  well  as  our  bodies  ?" 

"  I  can't  guess :  I  give  it  up." 

"  You  are  getting  low-spirited." 

"  Perhaps  ;  I  don't  think  I  am  getting  high  spirited." 

"  Don't  give  up  to  despair  yet :  there  are  brighter 
days  in  store  for  us." 

"  Glory  waits  us  you  think  :  but  won't  it  get  tired  wait- 
ing r 

"  No ;  I  feel  a  wonderful  elation  and  hopefulness." 

"  Much  greater  than  when  we  first  entered  these  walls, 
do  you  not  V 

"  Yes  j  I  do." 


#0  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  i 

"  I  understand  it,  Lyon,  and  I  congratulate  you.  I  ex- 
perience, indeed,  by  sympathy,  a  small  share  of  your  hap- 
piness, but  it  does  not  suffice  me." 

"  What  are.  you  firing  at,  comrade  V 

'•Not  at  your  happiness,  tantalizing  as  it  is.  You 
presented  a  much  more  consoling  spectacle  when  you  were 
as  miserable  as  myself." 

"  I  shall  have  to  flog  you  Staples,  if  you  don't  stop 
talking  with  such  oracular  mistiness.  Out  with  it ;  what 
are  you  trying  to  say  !  " 

"  We  grow  hard-hearted  as  fortune  smiles  upon  us,'' 
returned  Staples,  smiling  at  his  Mend's  threat. 

"Well,  I'm  listening,"  said  Tom. 

"  I  do  not  envy  your  happiness,  I  hope  ;  certainly  I  do 
not  wonder  at  it,  and  you  ought  not  to  wonder  at  my  mis- 
ery." 

"I  thought  happiness  contagious.  Wiry  are  you  not 
happy  when  you  think  that  lam?" 

"  Because  I  can't  make  love  to  Caesar." 

"  Well,"  said  Tom,  laughing,  "  I  plead  guilty  to  want 
of  consideration  for  your  desolate  condition,  and  I  will 
wear  as  unhappy  a  countenance  as  I  can  assume  hereafter." 

"  Then  we  will  be  fraternally  and  happily  miserable 
together." 

"  Yes,  so  long  as  we  are  forced  to  remain  here  :  but 
listen  Staples,"  said  Lyon  lowering  his  voice,  "it  has  occur- 
ed  to  me  to-day,  for  the  first  time,  that  we  have  not  shown 
much  spirit  in  staying  cooped  up  here  so  long  without  mak- 
ing an  effort  to  regain  our  liberty." 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  do  you  imagine  that  we  could  take 
Richmond,  if  we  could  get  out  of  here  ?  " 

"  No  ;  but  I  imagine  it  might  give  Richmond  some 
trouble  to  ?-e-take  us." 

"  I  should  hope  so  ;  too  much  trouble  to  make  it  worth 
while-;  for  if  we  were  taken   we   should  not,  probably,  get 


A    TAtfe    OF    THE    REBELLioX.  (jl 

such  comfortable  quarters  as  these,  nor  should  we  be  likely 
to  see  again  the  smiling  countenance  of  Caesar;" 

"  We  rim  of  course  the  risk  of  getting  severer  treat- 
ment, if  we  fail." 

k'  But  can  we  break  out  of  this  !  "  said  Staples  with 
some  eagerness. 

"I  think  we  can,  though  I  have  not  yet  contrived  the 
method.  We  must  consider  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  our 
escape  and  the  means  of  overcoming  them." 

"  We  are  on  the  second  floor,"  said  Staples,  looking  out 
of  the  window,  "  and  if  we  could  get  through  here,  might 
jump." 

"  That  won't  do  ;  it  is  paved  below.  We  should  break 
our  legs  and  that  would  be  the  end  of  it.  We  can  manu- 
facture a  rope  easily  enough  out  of  our  clothing  and  slide 
down  without  danger." 

"  So  far,  well !  how  shall  we  get  through  the  window  ? 
And  if  we  get  through  and  reach  the  ground  safely,  how 
shall  we  escape  the  watchman  ?  And  if  we  escape  him, 
how  shall  we  get  out  of  the  city,  guarded  as  it  is  by  police- 
men and  soldiers,  and  we  utter  strangers  to  it  and  dressed 
in  federal  uniform  ?  And  if  we  get  out,  how  shall  we  find 
our  way  through  this  hostile  country  and  find  provision  till 
we  reach  the  free  soil  1  " 

"  You  have  said  enough  to  dampen  any  one's  ardor  a 
little,"  returned  Lyon,  "  but  still  I  have  a  hope  that  we  may 
succeed.  It  is  well  to  look  these  difficulties  all  in  the  face 
and  be  ready  to  meet  them.  We  will  take  time  to  mature 
our  plan  and  leave  as  little  to  good  luck  as  possible.  There 
is  no  use  in  taking  the  first  step,  unless  there  is  a  reason- 
able prospect  of  being  able  to  take  the  second  and  the 
third  and  fourth  also." 

"  Let  us  sleep  on  it ;  I  am  always  wisest  in  my  dreams." 

"  One  of  us  may  have  a  vision  of  a  safe  path  to  free- 
dom, so  good  night." 


62  TflE  NOBWICfi  CADfetS: 

They  lay  down  to-  rest  but  it  was  long  before  either  fell 
asleep,  their  minds  were  so  full  of  the  subject  of  conversa- 
tion. And  when  at  last  they  slept,  their  minds  worked  on. 
They  dreamed,  but  we  will  leave  their  dreams  to  another 
chapter. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  63 


CHAPTER    VII. 

DREAMS  OF  LIBERTY PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE A  NIGHT  WATCH FARE- 
WELL TO  HELOISE. 

OOD  morning,"  exclaimed  Staples,  as  his  eye- 
lids flew  open  like  the  lids  of  a  spring  watch 
case,  at  the  first  touch  of  the  rosy  fingers  of 
Aurora. 

"  Good  morning,"  returned  his  companion 
drowsily.  "Tell  me  your  dream  while  I'm 
waking  up." 

"  No,  begin  you." 
"  As  you  please,  but  nothing  in  my  dream  will  prove  of 
any  practical  importance.  Not  a  hint  was  given  me  in  re- 
gard to  the  ways  and  means  of  escape.  I  dreamed  that  I 
was  again  among  my  friends  and  with  our  army,  encamped 
somewhere  on  the  Potomac,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Wash- 
ington, but  how  I  got  there  I  have  not  the  faintest 
remembrance." 

"  Not  much  of  a  dreamer,  you.  The  conditions  were 
highly  favorable,  and  yet  you  made  nothing  of  them.  Now 
listen  to  me,"  said  Staples,  giving  the  finishing  pull  at  his 
necktie.  "I  dreamed  that  the  Goddess  of  Liberty,  wTho 
bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  Miss  Wolfe,  threw  open  our 
door  and  beckoned  to  me  to  follow  her.  With  the  courage 
of  Hamlet,  I  obeyed  and  followed  where  §he  led,  through 


64  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

the  door  down  the  stairs  and  out  into  the  open  air.  It  was 
night ;  the  guard  slept ;  the  city  was  silent ;  the  sky  was 
clear  and  the  moon  so  bright  that  the  street-lamps  per- 
formed a  useless  office.  I  saw  standing  near  the  prison 
wall  a  close  carriage  of  diminutive  size,  but  elegant  shape 
and  delicate  workmanship.  It  was  of  burnished  gold  with 
silver  wheels.  Harnessed  to  it — the  buckles  of  their  har- 
nesses thickly  studded  with  glistening  diamonds — wrere 
four  cream  colored  horses  with  flowing  wrhite  manes  and 
tails  and  with  wings  upon  their  feet.  They  beat  the  air 
impatiently  with  their  feet,  but  did  not  move  the  vehicle  to 
which  they  were  attached.  The  Goddess  motioned  me  to 
enter.  Observing  that  Caesar  w7as  on  the  box,  I  sprang  in 
without  question  and  closed  the  door  after  me.  While  I 
was  observing  the  gorgeous  and  luxurious  furnishing  of  the 
inside,  I  heard  the  whip  crack  and  immediately  perceived 
that  we  wrere  in  rapid  motion,  although  no  sound  was 
audible  save  that  of  swiftly  beating  wings.  Instead  of 
dashing  along  the  street,  as  I  had  expected,  we  rose  at  once 
into  the  air  with  great  velocity.  Higher  and  higher  we 
ascended,  until,  looking  from  the  window,  I  saw  the  spires 
of  Eichmond  far  below.  Then  we  turned  our  course  north- 
ward and  flew  with  the  speed  of  the  wind  over  the  road- 
way of  cloud,  the  wheels  flashing  as  though  they  were 
wheels  of  light.  There  was  no  stop  or  turn.  Nothing  im- 
peded our  progress  or  slackened  the  speed  of  our  tireless 
steeds.  Though  conscious  of  my  lofty  altitude,  I  had  a 
feeling  of  greater  security  than  I  generally  have  when 
driving  along  country  highways,  and  it  seemed  to  me  the 
most  easy  and  pleasant  method  of  travelling  that  I  ever  ex- 
perienced. At  the  gait  we  went,  however,  our  journey 
necessarily  soon  came  to  an  end.  As  we  drew  near  Wash- 
ington, we  began  to  descend,  making  an  angle  w7ith  our 
former  course  of  about  thirty  degrees,  and  finally  touched 
the  earth  in  front  of  the  Capitol.     This  means  that  I  shall 


A   TALE  OF  THE   REBELLION.  65 

be  a  congressman  sometime.  As  I  was  about  to  alight, 
there  was  a  burst  of  flame  around  me,  in  which  my  whole 
establishment,  horses,  carriage,  Caesar  and  all,  vanished  in 
an  instant,  and  I  woke  up  to  find  the  sun  shining  brightly 
in  my  eyes  through  the  barred  window  of  our  prison." 

" Staples,  I  would  never  wake  up  again,"  if  I  were  you. 
Your  sleeping  fancy  is  to  yonr  waking,  as  feathers  to  lead,'' 
said  Tom,  when  the  other  had  finished  his  narration.  M  I 
suppose  the  interpretation  of  yonr  dream  is  that  you  will 
escape  and  I  shall  not,  as  I  was  not  invited  to  take  passage 
with  you  in  that  handsome  Concord  buggy,  which  the  New 
Hampshire  men  always  dream  of,  when  they  dreani  of  going 
anywhere." 

"  You  are  as  bad  at  interpreting  dreauis  as  you  are  at 
dreaming.  According  to  the  proper  interpretation  of  the 
dream,  it  is  very  clear  to  me  that  if  either  of  us  is  to  be 
left  behind,  that  one  will  be  myself.'' 

"  By  the  same  rale  I  am  to  be  congressman,  also." 
"An  intelligent  people  must  decide  between  us." 
••  Well,  we  won't  dispute  now  about  so  very  distant  an 
honor.     Explain  yonr  dream  in  yonr  own  way.     What  do 
you  find  in  it  that  we  can  turn  to  our  account  ?" 

••  Iffy  dream,  to  me,  is  encouraging.  It  gives  me  an 
idea  which  would,  not  otherwise  have  occurred  to  me.  Yon 
will  remember  that  my  goddess  resembled  Miss  Wolfe. 
She  is,  for  us,  the  Goddess  of  Liberty.  She  can,  and  will, 
I  think,  if  we  confide  in  and  appeal  to  her,  assist  ns  to 
escape  from  this  prison  and  the  city.  Once  free,  outside 
the  limits,  we  will  strike  across  the  country  (I  wish  we 
could  go  through  the  air)  towards  Washington.  With  a 
few  tools,  which  she  could  easily  bring  lis,  we  could  soon 
let  ourselves  out  of  this  building,  and  then  with  a  carriage 
and  disguises  which  she  could  furnish,  we  could  make  our 
way  out  of  the  city.  That  is  what  my  dream  tells  me." 
-It  could  be  done  in  the  way  you  say,  I  have  no 
i 


66  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  : 

doubt ;  but,  in  your  eagerness  to  escape,  you  forget  one 
thing,  and  that  is,  that  the  plan  you  propose  is  unworthy  of 
us  and  therefore  not  to  be  adopted.  Miss  Wolfe  is  loyal  to 
the  Union  and  would  not  hesitate  to  assist  us,  I  feel  sure,  if 
we  were  to  divulge  our  plan  to  her,  but  we  cannot  abase 
her  generous  sympathy.  Since  she  is  the  person  who  visits 
us  and  the  only  one  in  the  city  with  whom  we  are 
acquainted,  she  could  not  render  us  the  assistance  you 
speak  of,  without  subjecting  herself  to  the  risk  of  almost 
certain  discovery." 

••  You  are  right  Lyon,  we  cannot  ask  her  to  com- 
promise herself  for  us  in  such  a  way.  I  beg  you  to  believe 
I  do  not  seek  my  liberty  at  her  expense.  I  must  dream 
again." 

"  Perhaps  a  little  thinking,  with  our  eyes  open,  would 
do  as  well.  Let  us  look  over  this  place  and  see  what  we 
have  to  do." 

An  examination  of  the  windows  showed  that  it  would 
be  necessary  to  remove  at  least  two  of  the  iron  bars,  which 
crossed  the  lower  part  of  each  window,  in  order  to  admit 
the  passage  of  a  man's  body.  To  do  this  work,  they  had 
only  two  stout  pocket  knives,  but  these  they  thought  would 
enable  them  to  loosen  one  end  of  each  of  the  two  bars  and 
then,  with  their  united  strength,  they  could  either  break  or 
bend  around  the  bars  sufficiently  for  their  purpose. 

Having  selected  the  window  which  seemed  the  most 
favorable,  they  considered  the  matter  as  settled,  and  then 
addressed  themselves  to  the  study  of  the  prison  sur- 
roundings, the  manner  in  which  it  was  guarded  and  other 
things  which  they  thought  it  would  be  useful  to  know. 
They  desired  especially  to  know  something  of  the  topo- 
graphy of  the  city  and  they  spent  much  of  the  day  in  taking 
observations  from  the  windows. 

Once  in  the  open  country,  the  loyal  sun  by  day  and  the 
stars  by  night  would  direct  their  course  ;  for  the  lights  of 


A    TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  67 

heaven  do  not  look  with  favor  upon  secession,  which  is 
something  unknown  to  the  celestial  sphere. 

During  the  evening  and  all  night  long,  the  two  prison- 
oners,  in  the  silence  and  darkness  of  their  room,  watched 
and  listened,  taking  note  of  everything  that  occurred  with- 
out the  walls.  They  observed  when  the  sound  of  passing- 
feet  and  wheels  ceased  in  the  street ;  when  the  lamps  were 
lighted  :  when  the  city  seemed  generally  to  have  sunk  to 
repose  ;  when  the  lamps  were  extinguished,  and  at  what 
time  in  the  morning  the  hurrying  stream  of  life  began  to 
flow  again.  They  noticed  also  the  sentinel's  beat,  and  calcu- 
lated that,  if  they  did  not  attract  his  attention  by  any  noise 
made  in  their  descent,  they  would  have  ample  time  to  reach 
the  ground  and  steal  away  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  prison  before  he  could  pass  twice  over  the  space  he  was 
required  to  traverse. 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  they  retired  to  rest, 
but  not  with  any  intention  of  dreaming,  and  slept  soundly 
till  breakfast  time. 

During  the  forenoon,  they  discussed  together  the  route 
it  would  be  advisable  for  them  to  take.  They  could  either 
go  down  the  peninsula  and  attempt  to  reach  Fortress 
Monroe,  or  they"  could  move  almost  directly  northward 
toward  Aquia  Creek.  There  was  but  little  difference  in  dis- 
tance ;  the  only  question  was,  which  is  the  safer  route. 
They  knew  our  troops  had  abandoned  the  peninsula  and 
supposed  the  ground  to  be  occupied  by  the  rebels. 

"  If  it  is,"  said  Staples,  "  we  shall  stand  a  right  smart 
chance  of  being   taken  and  returned  to  this  hotel." 

On  the  other  hand  if,  as  they  suspected,  a  large  part  of 
the  rebel  army  had  gone  north,  it  seemed  probable  that  it 
had  gone  northward  toward  Aquia  Creek,  to  which  place 
from  Richmond,  there  was  an  almost  straight  line  of  rail- 
road. To  take  this  route  seemed,  at  first  glance,  to  be  run- 
ning after  the   enemy  with   a  certainty  of  being  captured  j 


68  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  : 

but  further  consideration  convinced  them  that  the  Con- 
federate troops  would  be  moved  by  rail  and  that  if  the}' 
bore  to  the  right  and  kept  off  from  the  line  of  railroad,  they 
would  have  little  to  fear,  except  from  occasional  cavalry 
parties  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  through  which 
they  would  have  to  pass.  These  they  thought  they  could 
avoid  by  keeping  to  the  fields  and  woods  instead  of  the 
highways,  and  traveling  mostly  by  night. 

They  finally  determined  to  make  their  march  to  free- 
dom by  this  route.  Staples  proposed  to  start  that  night. 
Lyon  was  no  less  eager  to  be  gone,  but  he  did  not  like  to 
depart  until  he  had  once  more  seen  Heloise  and  taken  some 
sort  of  farewell. 

That  afternoon  the  lady  came  again,  accompanied  as 
usual  by  her  faithful  Csesar,  and  while  Staples  extracted 
from  the  latter  all  the  information  of  which  he  was  pos- 
sessed in  regard  to  the  topography  of  the  city  and  the  dis- 
position of  rebel  troops.  Captain  Lyon  engaged  the  mistress 
in  conversation. 

"But  for  your  visits,  Heloise,  this  life  would  be  unen- 
durable." 

"  Scarcely  endurable,  as  it  is,  I  fear,"'  returned  she. 

"  While  you  are  present  it  is  easily  endurable,  but  I 
confess  to  you  that  I  loathe  this  inactivity." 

"  You  may  be  exchanged  soon." 

"  And  when  I  am  gone,  will  you  be  able  to  remember 
me  till  the  war  closes  ?" 

"  Perhaps,  if  it  closes  soon  ;  but  if  it  should  prove  a 
thirty  years  war,  who  can  vouch  for  memory  then  ?" 

"  This  war  cannot  last  like  that ;  it  is  on  too  large  a 
scale  to  be  protracted  many  years.     It  must  end  soon." 

"  Then  I  will  try  to  remember  you,"  said  she  smiling  : 
11  but  I  warn  you  not  to  grow  gray  in  service  and  yet  ex- 
pect to  live  young  and  fresh  in  my  memory." 

"  But  give  me  my  liberty,  and  then  if  hard  fighting  on 


A    TALE    OF    THE   REBELLION. 


my  part  can  bring  peace  and  Heloise,  you  may  count  on  a 
speedy  end  of  the  war." 

"  I  see  you  are  determined  to  throw  your  life  away  at 
the  first  chance.     But  we  will  keep  you  prisoner  here  where 
you  are  safe,  my  brave  Captain.     You  are  not  gone  yet." 
"  And  yet  I  may  be,  within  a  week. 
"  What !  why  do  you   speak  so  ?"  said  she  gazing  in- 
quiringly upon  his  animated  features. 

"  As  you  just  said,  I  may  be  exchanged." 
"  True  ;  but  I  hope  not ;  at  least  I  fear — I  dread  the 
danger  you  will  go  to." 

"  Fear  not  but  hope  and  pray  for  me,  and  tell  me  now, 
that  when  I  am  struggling  in  my  country's  service  I  may 
count  upon  your  constancy." 

"  You  may,"  responded  she  with  trembling  voice. 
Filled  with  undefined  alarms,  her  cheeks  flushed  and 
her  eyes  grew  misty.  She  could  not  tell  the  cause  of  such 
sudden,  vague  fears,  but  when  they  came  to  part  and  their 
hands  met  as  good-bye  was  said,  she  felt  as  though  she 
should  not  look  upon  him  again.  He  knew  that  he  was 
gazing  upon  her  face  for  the  last  time  for  months— perhaps 
for  years — if  ever  he  should  see  her  again. 


70  THE  NORWICH  cadets: 


CHAPTER     VIII. 

DIGGING   OUT EXIT    FROM     LIBBY UNEXPECTED    ENCOUNTER     AND 

REINFORCEMENT THE     MARCH       TO       FREEDOM      BEGUN THE 

DESERTED  CABIN A  CALL  FROM  CONFEDERATE  TROOPERS THE 

RETREAT  RESUMED    ON  HORSEBACK DANGER    AHEAD A  HORSE 

TRADE C^SAR     APPOINTED      COMMISSARY CONFISCATION      OF 

REBEL    PROPERTY  AND  A  NARROW  ESCAPE. 

HAT  evening  after  tea  the  prisoners  sat  down 
by  the  window  and  proceeded  noiselessly  to  pick 
away  wTith  their  knives  the  masonry,  wThich 
secured  the  bars  in  place.  It  wTas  very  slow 
wrork,  but  they  kept  steadily  at  it,  except  when 
they  heard  steps  beneath  their  wdndowr.  As  the 
night  wrore  on,  and  there  was  less  danger  of  their 
operations  being  heard  and  discovered,  they  wrorked  more 
energetically,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  that  they 
were  making  some  progress,  although  their  knives  gave 
evidence  that  they  were  not  designed  to  cut  anything  quite 
so  hard  as  the  wralls  of  Libby  prison. 

By  midnight  each  had  succeded  in  loosening  the  end 
of  a  bar,  and  applying  their  united  strengh  they  bent  them 
around.  From  their  bed-blankets  they  constructed  a  rope 
wThich  was  long  enough  to  reach  within  easy  dropping  dis- 
tance of  the  ground.  Next  they  removed  the  lower  part 
of  the  window,  and  the  way  was  open.  Then  they  waited 
until  they  saw  the  sentinel  pass  under  their  window  and 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  71 

turn  the  corner  of  the  building  all  unsuspicious  of  the  fast 
beating  hearts  above  him  and  the  plot  which  was  about  to 
be  put  in  execution  against  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the 
Confederacy. 

••  Now  is  our  time  ;  not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost,"  whis- 
pered Lyon  excitedly.     "  Go  first  if  you  choose." 

Staples  grasped  the  cord,  one  end  of  which  had  been 
secured,  and  crawling  through  the  opening,  slid  swiftly 
down  and  dropped  lightly  to  the  ground. 

One  moment  Lyon  waited  to  see  if  any  alarm  was  rais- 
ed, and  then  he  rapidly  followed  his  friend  and  soon  stood 
by  his  side. 

As  silently  as  possible  they  fled  down  the  street  in  the 
opposite  direction  from  that  which  the  sentinel  had  taken. 
They  had  passed  over  not  more  than  half  a  block  when  a 
dark  figure  sprang  from  the  shadow  of  a  building  on  to  the 
sidewalk  directly  in  front  of  them. 

Lyon  drew  back  his  arm  to  level  this  obstacle  to  his 
progress,  when  the  unknown,  seeing  his  peril,  spoke  in  a 
loud  whisper — 

i;  Don't  strike,  Massa  Lyon  ;  it's  Caesar — I'se  been 
watchin'  for  you.  Miss  Heloise  tole  me.  Come  wid  me  ; 
carriage  'round  de  corner." 

While  giving  utterance  to  these  ejaculations,  Ctesar 
was  rapidly  leading  the  way  to  the  carriage  he  had  spoken 
of,  which  stood  but  a  few  rods  distant  in  charge  of  a  fellow 
servant. 

The  faithful  black  quickly  opened  the  door  and  beckon- 
ing them  to  enter  whispered  as  they  obeyed  him — 

"  Dere's  oder  close  in  dare,  wid  pistols,  knives  and 
eberyting  yer  want." 

They  jumped  in  ;  the  door  was  shut  and  Csesar  mount- 
ed the  box.  As  the  carriage  rolled  along  at  a  gentle  trot, 
its  occupants  found  each  a  suit  of  plain  clothes  lying  on  the 
forward  seat,  for  which  they  exchanged  their  own  as  soon 


72  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

as  they  could.  In  the  breast  pocket  of  each  coat  were 
found  a  small  pair  of  revolvers  and  a  sheath  knife,  together 
with  a  box  of  ball  cartridges. 

"  My  dream  is  coming  true  I  think,"  said  Staples  as 
they  were  making  these  discoveries,  and  effecting  an  ex- 
change of  garments. 

"  It  is  indeed.  Miss  Wolfe  must  have  suspected  our 
design,  though  I  did  not  intend  to  give  her  cause." 

"  Women  are  quicker-witted  than  men.  She  interpre- 
ted correctly  your  lugubrious  expression  at  parting,  and 
sent  Caesar,  as  he  informed  us,  with  the  carriage  to  wait  for 
our  exit  from  Libby." 

They  were  soon  off  the  pavement  and  then  the  horses 
wrere  put  to  a  smarter  gait.  After  about  an  hour's  ride  they 
stopped.  Caesar  opened  the  door  and  the  two  fugitives 
stepping  out  found  themselves  on  a  country  road  and  a  few 
miles  distant  southward  from  Richmond. 

Caesar  explained  that  he  had  driven  them  there  to  avoid 
the  rebel  troops,  which  were  most  to  the  north  of  the  city, 
and  then  addressing  himself  to  Lyon  he  said  : 

w  Massa  Lyon,  Miss  Heloise  say  I  can  go  wid  you  if 
yer  chooses.  I  knows  all  de  country,  and  de  niggers  on  de 
way  won't  be  afraid  of  me  ef  we  want  to  get  sumting  for  de 
inner  man,  as  massa  Will  say.  'Sides,  ef  we  hab  to  help 
ourselbes,  I  don't  show  so  well  in  de  dark  as  a  white  man. 
When  I  comes  under  de  hen-roost,  golly  !  de  chickens  on'y 
tinks  it's  gettin  a  little  more  cloudy  and  dey  put  deyr  heads 
under  toder  wing  and  goes  right  to  sleep  agin." 

*;  You  would,  no  doubt,  be  a  great  help  to  us  Caesar,  but 
I  don't  like  to  expose  you  to  the  danger  of  capture." 

*•  Miss  Heloise  tinks  I  had  better  go,"  returned  Caesar, 
wrho  evidently  knew  his  mistress'  mind  and  seemed  anxious 
to  gratify  her  wishes  at  whatever  cost  to  himself. 

•*  Your  mistress  is  an  angel !"  exclaimed  Staples  en- 
thusiastically. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  73 

*•  Sartin  sure  ;  massa  Staples  right  dis  time  ebery  bit !" 
said  Caesar,  exhibiting  such  specimens  of  nature's  dentistry 
as  would  have  excited  wild  envy  in  the  breast  of  the  king 
of  beasts. 

"  I  move  that  we  take  Caosar  along,"  said  Staples ; 
"  Miss  Wolfe  has  planned  well  for  us  thus  far." 

"  It  seems  to  be  her  wish  and  shall  be  heeded  ;  but  we 
must  protect  him,  her  faithful  servant,  with  our  lives  if 
necessary.     Caesar,  you  may  go  with  us,"  said  Lyon. 

"  Tank,  you,  massa  Captain,"  returned  the  slave,  grin- 
ning with  delight,  not  at  the  prospect  of  freedom,  of  which 
he  thought  little,  but  at  the  dignity  of  his  new  position,  and 
the  knowledge  that  his  young  mistress  would  be  pleased 
with  the  faithful  service  which  he  meant  to  perform. 

"  Hopes  we  won't  meet  massa  Will  dough,'  he  muttered 
to  himself. 

The  cast  oft'  uniforms  were  taken  out  of  the  carriage 
and  concealed.  Caesar  took  from  under  the  driver's  seat  a 
small  valise  well  filled  with  provisions,  and  from  his  pocket 
a  roll  of  confederate  bills,  which  latter  he  handed  to  Lyon, 
whom  he  seemed  to  regard  as  his  master.  The  carriage 
was  then  sent  back  in  charge  of  the  other  servant,  with  a 
verbal  message  to  his  mistress,  and  the  two  young  officers 
under  the  guidance  of  Caesar  set  out  to  find  the  array  of  the 
Potomac. 

They  made  a  wide  detour  around  Kichmond,  moving 
first  in  a  northwesterly  direction  and  avoiding  the  travelled 
roads  as  much  as  possible.  They  crossed  the  James  in  a 
row-boat,  which  Caesar  knew  exactly  where  to  look  for,  and 
then  bearing  to  the  right  they  approached  the  railroad. 
They  did  this  with  some  trepidation,  but  trusting  to  the 
friendly  darkness  and  celerity  of  movement,  they  went  for- 
ward. There  were  no  habitations  in  their  neighborhood, 
but  as  they  neared  the  track  they  heard  a  whistle  and  the 
thunder  of  an  approaching  train.     Looking  north  they  saw 


74  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  : 

the  headlight  of  an  engine,  like  a  ball  of  lire  in  the  distance, 
and  throwing  themselves  flat  upon  the  ground  they  waited 
for  it. 

"  Hope  they  won't  stop  for  passengers  at  this  station," 
said  Staples. 

The  train  came  up  and  passed  by.  The  cars  were  filled 
with  soldiers,  and  by  the  light  within,  some  bandaged 
heads  were  visible. 

';  There  has  been  a  battle,"  said  Lyon,  %i  and  they  are 
taking  to  Richmond  the  wounded  that  are  able  to  be 
moved." 

"  Yes  :  and  perhaps  a  few  prisoners  also,"  said  Staples. 
"  Well,  we  have  made  a  little  room  for  them  by  evacuating 

our  quarters." 

As  the  train  disappeared,  the  three  men  rose  to  their 
feet,  and  dashing  across  the  track  they  turned  their  faces  to 
the  northeast  and  walked  rapidly  along,  feeling  that  every 
step  took  them  farther  from  the  dangerous  vicinity  of  the 
railroad,  farther  from  Richmond,  and  nearer  to  freedom. 

They  travelled  on  till  daylight  appeared,  and  then  find- 
ing themselves  in  a  cultivated  country  where  they  were 
likely  to  meet  with  people,  if  they  continued  their  journey 
by  day,  they  looked  about  them' for  some  place  of  conceal- 
ment. 

Remote  from  any  house  they  found  a  deserted  cabin, 
the  garden  about  it  grown  up  to  weeds,  showing  that  it  had 
not  recently  been  occupied. 

They  entered  it  and,  securing  the  door,  sat  down  to 
rest  themselves,  and  partake  of  a  breakfast  from  the  valise, 
which  Caesar  had  carried  suspended  from  a  stick  over  his 
shoulder. 

"  Staples,  do  you  and  Caesar  lie  down  and  sleep  ;  I  will 
keep  watch  till  you  have  had  your  nap.  It  isn't  best  for  us 
all  to  be  caught  napping  together." 

"  Massa  Lyon,  you  sleep  first.  I  will  look  sharp,  said 
Ceesar, 


A   TALE    OF   THE    REBELLION.  75 

"  No,"  replied  Lyon,  who,  knowing  the  propensity  of 
the  negro  to  sleep,  did  not  (hire  to  trust  him  to  keep  the 
first  watch.  "  Go  to  sleep,  Caesar,  as  quickly  as  you  can  ; 
you  will  need  all  you  can  get." 

Without  farther  remonstrance,  the  negro  and  Staples 
stretched  themselves  on  the  floor  and  were  soon  fast  asleep. 

Lyon  kept  a  lookout  over  the  surrounding  country, 
while  his  mind  was  busy  with  grateful  and  tender  thoughts 
of  Heloise,  and  with  speculations  regarding  the  success 
likely  to  attend  his  present  endeavor.  He  saw  people  at  a 
distance,  mostly  blacks,  attending  to  their  usual  avocations, 
but  no  one  approached  the  hiding-place  of  himself  and  com- 
panions. 

About  eleven  o'clock,  he  touched  Staples  lightly  :  The 
"  Darty  "  opened  his  eyes,  and  taking  in  the  situation  rose 
to  his  feet.  Caesar  still  slept  the  sleep  of  innocence,  though 
making  a  fiendish  noise  in  so  doing. 

"  Better  let  him  sleep,"  whispered  Lyon,  "  He  can't 
endure  the  fatigue  that  we  can,  and  I  don't  like  to  trust  my 
safety  to  the  watchfulness  of  a  sleepy  nigger." 

Staples  nodded  and  took  up  his  position  at  the  little 
window,  while  Lyon  took  possession  of  his  vacant  couch  and 
was  soon  sleeping  as  soundly  as  Caesar  himself. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  long  day,  Staples 
remained  on  guard.  Impatiently  he  watched  the  slow 
motion  of  the  sun  as  it  rolled  down  the  western  slope  of 
the  sky.  It  seemed  to  him  to  move  more  slowly  down  its 
inclined  plane  than  he  had  ever  seen  it  before,  as  though 
the  amount  of  friction  it  had  to  overcome  was  almost  in- 
superable. His  eagerness  for  the  shades  of  night  grew 
feverish  as  the  afternoon  wore  on  so  lingeringly. 

At  last,  just  before  sunset,  he  observed  a  party  of  four 
cavalrymen  ride  up  to  the  nearest  mansion,  less  than  half 
a  mile  distant.  They  remained  sometime,  apparently  in 
conversation  with  the  planter,  and  then   Staples  saw  them 


76  THE    NORWICH    CADETS • 

turn  and  ride  away.  He  watched  them  intently,  aiid  soon, 
to  his  dismay,  saw  them  halt  and,  after  a  short  parley,  turn 
their  horses'  heads  in  the  direction  of  the  cabin. 

On  they  came  directly  towards  him,  though  not  with 
any  haste  or  apparent  motive,  and  he  trusted  that  they 
■would  pass  by.  But  no — they  rode  up  within  a  few  rods  of 
the  door,  and  noticing  the  fresh  footsteps  around  it,  they 
halted. 

The  noise  awoke  Lyon.  He  sprang  up,  and  one  glance 
showed  him  the  state  of  affairs.  Immediately  he  woke 
Caesar,  bidding  him  in  a  whisper  to  be  silent.  When  that 
individual  comprehended  their  condition,  a  gray  pallor  dif- 
fused itself  over  his  countenance,  giving  him  an  unearthly 
appearance. 

A  shout  was  heard  from  those  without,  designed  to  at- 
tract the  attention  of  the  inmates. 

No  answer  was  returned,  as  the  occupants  of  the  cabin 
could  not  at  once  decide  wrhat  course  it  was  best  to  pursue. 

But  wThen  two  of  the  troopers  dismounted,  as  though 
to  enter,  Lyon  saw  there  was  no  more  time  for  hesitation. 

"  Throw  off  your  coat,  leave  your  cap  and  go  out  as 
though  you  lived  here,"  he  said  to  Caesar,  "  and  get  them 
away  if  possible." 

The  faithful  fellow  immediately  obeyed  and  ran  out  of 
the  door  in  seeming  haste  to  answer  the  summons. 

"  There  you  are,  eh  ?  just  woke  up  have  you  ?  Who  lives 
here?" 

"  I  does,  sah,"  replied  Caesar. 

"  All  alone  ?" 

"  No  sah  ;  my  ole  mamma." 

"  Now  nigger  look  a  here ;  have  you  seen  a  couple  of 
wThite  men — strangers — around  here  to-day." 

•*  No,  massa." 

"  If  I  catch  you  lying.  I'll  skin  you." 


A    tfALE    OF    "THE    REBELLION.  77 

"  Lets  go  in  and  look,"  said  another.  "  It  don't  appear 
as  if  anybody  had  lived  here  before  to-day." 

"  De  ole  woman  berry  sick,"  said  Caesar,  trembling  with 
apprehension. 

"  Hold  the  horses,  you  black  rascal,  never  mind  the  old 
woman." 

Caesar  took  the  horses  and  the  two  men  rudely  pushed 
open  the  door  and  swaggered  into  the  cabin.  Lyon  and 
Staples  stood  behind  the  door  as  it  swung  in,  and  as  their 
unwelcome  visitors  entered  the  dimly  lighted  apartment, 
they  quickly  closed  it  again  and  each  springing  at  one  of 
the  astonished  rebels,  they  dealt  such  tremendous  blows 
that  both  intruders  were  brought  senseless  to  the  floor. 

The  noise  was  heard  outside. 

"  It's  de  dog  I'se  afeard,"  cried  Caesar ;  "he  neber  barks." 

The  other  two  men  sprang  from  their  horses,  which 
Caesar  also  grasped,  and  breathing  curses  upon  him  and  his 
dog,  they  rushed  with  drawn  swords  to  the  door.  The  first 
to  cross  the  threshold  received  a  blow  from  Staples'  dagger 
which  made  him  fall  backward  out  of  the  doorway,  and 
Lyon  leaping  over  his  body  seized  the  fourth  paralyzed 
trooper  with  a  vice-like  grip  by  the  throat  and  hurled  him 
like  a  log,  stunned  and  bleeding,  to  the  earth. 

It  was  growing  dusky  and  this  struggle  had  been  so 
brief  and  silent  that  no  attention  had  been  attracted  to  it. 

"  To  horse !"  said  Lyon  mounting  one  and  taking 
a  second  by  the  bridle.  Staples  and  Caesar  followed  his  ex- 
ample and  in  less  than  a  minute  the  three  were  riding  rapid- 
ly away  with  the  four  horses,  their  heads  turned  due  north. 

There  was  no  pursuit,  but  they  rode  as  though  Stuart's 
entire  cavalry  force  was  close  in  their  rear.  The  roads  were 
good  and  by  midnight  they  had  left  the  scene  of  their  last 
adventure  far  behind  them. 

Staples'  horse  beginning  to  show  signs  of  exhaustion 
and  a  disinclination  to   keep  up  with  the  rest,  the  Captain 


78  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  J 

removed  his  bridle  and  other  trappings  and  turned  him 
adrift.  Then  mounting  the  led  horse  the  party  pushed  on 
again,  though  at  a  somewhat  slower  rate,  owing  to  the 
fatigue  of  the  horses,  the  increasing  darkness,  and  the 
unevenness  of  the  country. 

After  another  hour's  ride,  as  they  reached  the  top  of  a 
slight  acclivity  and  looked  before  them,  they  saw  at  half  a 
mile's  distance  what  seemed  to  be  the  light  of  a  camp  fire. 

"Are  we  trapped  again?*'  inquired  Staples  as  they 
halted. 

"  There  seems  to  be  a  trap  there,  but  we  need  not  step 
into  it  unless  we  choose,"'  replied  Lyon. 

"  Golly !  dis  nigger  will  be  killed  shuah,"  soliloquized 
Caesar. 

"  It  is  probably  a  small  foraging  party,"  continued 
Lyon.     "  Shall  we  go  nearer  and  satisfy  our  curiosity  ?" 

"  I  don't  see  the  necessity  of  it,"  returned  his  compan- 
ion. "  Never  throw  stones  at  a  hornet's  nest.  Let  us  move 
quietly  around  them  at  a  safe  distance." 

In  accordance  with  this  prudent  counsel  they  bore  to 
the  right,  describing  a  semi-circle  to  avoid  the  rebel  encamp- 
ment. As  they  came  opposite  it,  the  necessities  of  the 
ground  forced  them  to  approach  nearer  than  they  liked,  but 
they  were  rewarded  for  the  extra  danger  by  coming  upon  a 
place  where  half  a  dozen  horses  ware  tethered.  Silently 
dismounting  and  finding  that  the  animals  were  much  better 
and  fresher  than  their  own,  they  selected  three  of  the  best, 
bridled  and  mounted  them  and  turning  the  others  loose, 
tDgether  with  their  own  jaded  beasts,  they  rode  on  again  at 
a  walk  till  they  were  at  a  safer  distance,  and  then  once 
more  galloped  along,  highly  pleased  with  their  horse  trade, 
which  was  about  as  honest  a  transaction  of  its  sort  as  is 
often  seen. 

Caesar  was  so  shaken  writh  suppressed  mirth  that  he 
could  hardly  keep  his  seat. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  79 

**  Hie  !  yah  !  yah  !"  lie  ejaculated  in  a  gurgling  voice, 
"el  clis    a'n't  de    neatest    hick! — Beats   eberyting — 'spect 

its  legle  dough." 

On  they  went  at  a  good  rate  of  speed,  directing  their 
course  by  the  stars,  and  when  morning  dawned  they  found 
themselves  in  a  wooded  and  rough  country,  and  with  their 
horses  pretty  nearly  used  up. 

They  turned  from  the  road  they  had  been  following 
and  rode  slowly,  as  they  were  obliged  to,  into  a  dense 
forest.  Here,  after  removing  the  bridles,  which  they  thought 
best  to  retain,  they  abandaned  their  horses  and  then 
climbed  on  foot  up  the  steep  of  a  mountain,  till  they  had 
gained  a  situation  where  they  thought  they  were  not  likely 
to  be  discovered. 

Crawling  under  the  branches  of  some  low  trees,  which 
grew  at  the  base  of  a  large  rock  where  they  found  a  spiing 
of  water,  they  threw  their  tired  bodies  on  the  ground. 
Having  satisfied  their  thirst  and  devoured  the  remainder  of 
Caesar's  store  of  provisions,  they  all  lay  down  to  sleep,  not 
thinking  it  necessary  for  either  to  remain  on  guard. 

Weary,  as  they  were,  they  slept  soundly  till  past  noon. 
Waking  at  last,  they  refreshed  themselves  again  at  the 
spring,  washing  their  hands  and  faces  in  the  clear,  cool 
water,  then  crawling  out  of  their  lair,  they  set  out  on 
foot  through  the  woods  and  travelled  as  fast  as  the  obstruc- 
tions they  met  with  would  permit. 

All  the  afternoon  they  kept  in  the  shelter  of  the  woods, 
but  as  the  sun  sank  out  of  sight  they  emerged  therefrom 
and  found  themselves  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  large 
plantation,  whose  extensive  negro  quarters  evinced  the 
wealth  and  importance  of  the  proprietor,  and  afforded  a 
visible  cause  of  the  rebellion. 

They  were  hungry  and  they  constituted  themselves  a 
committee  of  ways  and  means. 


80  THE  NORWICH  CADETS! 

It  was  now  Caesar's  opportunity  to  make  himself 
eminently  useful  to  his  beloved  mistress's  friend,  and  he  ex 
hibited  his  readiness  to  improve  it. 

"  I  knows  jes'  whar  de  chickens  roost  in  such  a  place 
as  dat,  and  I  tink  ef  I  goes  to  de  quarters  de  colored  folks 
will  gib  me  what  I  wants  ef  I  tell  dem  I'se  runnin  away  to 
de  norf." 

'*  I  think  you  can  help  us  now  Caesar,  said  Lyon  ;  "  we 
must  let  you  try  at  all  events." 

They  waited  till  the  lights  were  all  extinguished  in 
the  "great  house,"  and  then  all  three  proceeded  cautiously 
to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  negro  quarters,  where 
Lyon  gave  Caesar  his  final  instructions. 

"  You  knowr  your  people  best,  and  you  may  either 
throw  yourself  on  their  generosity  or  help  yourself  as  you 
see  fit.  We  wTill  wait  for  you  here.  If  you  are  molested, 
use  your  pistols  if  necessary  and  fight  your  way  back  to  us 
through,  everything.  We  wrill  come  to  your  aid  if  you  need 
it.  Be  careful  and  be  quick,  and  say  nothing  about  us.  Let 
them  think  you  are  alone." 

Thus,  charged,  Caesar  set  off,  while  Lyon  and  Staples 
sat  down  to  wTait  for  him,  though  not  without  considerable 
anxiety. 

"  I  feel  like  a  rat  fooling  around  a  trap  after  a  bit  of 
cheese,"  remarked  Staples. 

"  We  run  a  risk,  I  know,"  returned  his  companion, 
"but  wre  must  have  something  to  eat." 

In  about  half  an  hour  Caesar  returned  with  a  well  filled 
sack  over  his  shoulder. 

"  I've  got  it,"  he  said  gleefully,  "  and  dere's  bosses  in 
de  stable." 

"Fortune  seems  to  favor  us,"  said  Staples  eagerly  ;  "I 
move  we  take  them." 

"Agreed,"  said  Lyon,  and  they  proceeded,  led  by  Caesar, 
to  the  stables. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  81 

Each  selected  a  horse  out  of  a  well  filled  stable  and 
led  him  out.  They  were  spirited  animals  and  made  so 
much  disturbance,  plunging  and  snorting,  while  they  were 
being  got  in  readiness,  that  the  family  was  aroused.  Lights 
began  to  move  in  the  house  ;  the  negroes  to  flock  out,  and 
two  white  men  soon  appeared  upon  the  scene,  without  coats 
or  hats,  one  of  them  carrying  a  gun  and  the  other  a  lan- 
tern. 

"  What's  the  matter  here  ?"  cried  the  older,  hurrying 
into  the  midst  of  the  excitement. 

There  was  a  confused  murmur  of  negro  voices  but  no 
intelligible  answer. 

As  the  lantern  flashed  upon  our  hero  and  his  compan- 
ions, who  were  mounting  the  horses,  the  planter  seemed  to 
understand  the  matter. 

l<  A  robbery !  and  my  best  horses,  too  !  Get  down  you 
villains,  or  I'll  blow  you  to  pieces.     Off!  I  say." 

He  drew  up  his  gun. 

"  Off,  it  is — we're  going  sir,"  cried  Lyon,  upon  whom 
the  weapon  was  now  brought  to  bear. 

Striking  the  fiery  steed  with  his  boots,  he  plunged  him 
against  the  enraged  planter,  bearing  him  to  the  ground  be- 
fore he  could  fire,  and  sending  a  bullet  from  his  pistol 
through  the  lantern  held  by  the  other  man,  he  fled  like  the 
wind  through  the  yielding  and  helpless  crowd  of  negroes, 
with  Staples  and  Csesar  following  close  behind  him  at  the 
same  furious  speed. 

They  were  not  to  get  away  without  a  parting  volley, 
however. 

The  man  who  had  borne  the  lantern  seized  the  musket 
as  it  fell  from  tlfe  hand  of  the  overthrown  planter  and  fired 
at  random  after  the  fugitives. 

There  was  a  rattle  of  glass  in  the  sack  which  Csesar 
carried  and  a  yell  of  dismay  from  the  sable  trooper. 

"  Are  you  hurt !"  cried  Lyon,  checking  his  horse.  • 


82  THE   NORWICH   CADETS: 

"  No  massa,''  he  answered  as  he  darted  past  the  cap- 
tain, like  a  thunder  cloud  on  horse  back,  "  but  de  bottle  am 
broke,  I  reckon." 

"  Forward !  then"  shouted  Staples,  "  and  hang  on  to 
that  bag." 

Forward  they  sped,  while  excited  orders  to  mount  and 
pursue  them  were  heard  in  their  rear. 

They  felt  satisfied  that  the  best  horses  on  the  planta- 
tion were  under  them,  and  they  laughed  at  pursuit  as  they 
dashed  ahead. 


A  TALE   OP   THE    REBELLION.  83 


CHAPTER    IX. 

COL.  WOLFE  AT  HOME HIS  DISCOVERY PRIVATE  WAIT  ON  GUARD 

AN  ALARM  AND  UNEXPECTED    ARRIVAL  FROM  RICHMOND CAPT. 

LYON  JOINS  HIS  REGIMENT THE  ARMY  MOVES    DOWN    THE  RAP- 
PAHANNOCK  THE  BATTLE  OF    FREDERICKSBURG. 

HEN  Col.  Wolfe  had  bidden  farewell  to  his 
friend  Lyon  in  Libby  Prison,  he  immediately 
joined  his  regiment  and  set  out  for  the  north 
with  the  main  body  of  the  rebel  army.  The  in- 
tention was  to  crush  Pope,  wTho  had  been  given 
the  command  of  what  was  called  the  Army  of 
Virginia  out  of  courtesy  to  Gen.  McClellan,  who 
was  supposed  to  be  in  command  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  But  Gen.  Pope's  advancement  wras  virtually 
a  superseding  of  Gen.  McClellan,  who  had  lost  the  confidence 
of  the  administration  by  his  disastrous  Peninsular  Cam- 
paign ;  for  Halleck  was  appointed  General-in  Chief,  and  as 
such  ordered  McClellan  to  support  Pope,  who  had  been 
assigned  the  duty  of  covering  Washington  and  protecting 
Maryland  with  its  great  railroad,  while  threatening  Rich- 
mond from  the  north. 

In  the  latter  days  of  August,  1862,  was  fought  the 
second  battle  on  the  fated  field  of  Bull  Run,  while  Lyon 
was  a  prisoner  in  Richmond.  In  the  prescience  of  God  it 
was,  like  the  first  battle,  recognized  as  a  defeat  to  the  Union 


84  THE   NORWICH   CADETS  t 

arms,  and  defeat  it  became.  Whether  it  was  made  such  by 
unworthy  instruments  is  a  question  for  historians,  rather 
than  romance  writers,  to  discuss. 

In  the  battle,  young  Wolfe  distinguished  himself  by 
his  bravery  and  did  his  full  share  of  service  in  obscuring 
the  glory  of  Gen.  Pope. 

Pope's  army  was  almost  entirely  demolished,  and  now 
in  obedience  to  the  demand  of  a  large  majority  of  the 
officers  and  soldiers  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  whose  con- 
fidence in  their  former  leader  was  still  unshaken,  Gen. 
McClellan  was  re-invested  with  the  chief  command. 

After  several  minor  conflicts,  the  battle  of  Antietam 
was  fought  on  Sept.  17, — "  the  bloodiest  day  that  America 
ever  saw."  The  battle  was  a  victory  to  the  North,  but 
dearly  purchased  and  not  at  all  decisive.  We  held  the 
ground,  but  Lee  retired  strong  enough  to  fight  some  other 
day. 

In  this  battle,  the  reckless  Wolfe  was  severely  wounded, 
and  sent  back  to  Richmond  to  recover.  He  was  on  board 
the  very  train  which  had  passed  the  three  fugitives  on  the 
night  of  their  escape  from  Richmond. 

When  the  Colonel  learned  from  his  sister  of  the  escape 
of  his  friend  fi-om  prison,  he  was  much  surprised,  but  he 
could  not  help  showing  a  certain  satisfaction  at  hearing  of 
his  old  chum's  daring  exploit.  Heloise  did  not  think  him 
very  sorry  that  Lyon  had  not  been  re-captured.  When  he 
afterward  found  out  that  Caesar  had  mysteriously  disap- 
peared about  the  same  time,  a  light  seemed  to  break  in 
upon  him,  and  further  conversation  with  his  sister  made  the 
matter  clearer  to  him.  He  did  not,  however,  attempt  to 
win  her  confidence  or  force  her  to  confession,  and  at  heart 
he  was  pleased  that  his  sister  had  chosen  Tom  Lyon  as  the 
object  of  her  love. 

Let  us  now  return  with  the  speed  of  thought  to  the 
North,  while  our  three  fugitives  are  making  their  way  thither 


A    TALE    OE    THE   REBELLION.  85 

on  the  confiscated  horses  of  the  Virginia  planter.  After 
the  battle  of  Antietam  there  was  little  fighting  for  a  couple 
of  months,  for  the  same  number  of  reasons  :  Lee  was  not 
anxious  for  a  fight  and  McClellan  was  too  cautious  to  take 
any  chances.  There  was  a  southward  movement  of  the  two 
opposing  armies  from  the  bloody  soil  of  Maryland,  made 
in  parallel  lines  and  on  opposite  sides  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 
The  latter  part  of  October  McClellan  occupied  Snicker's 
Gap  and  Manassas  and  had  advanced  as  far  as  Warrenton 
before  his  active  participation  in  the  war  was  brought  to  a 
close. 

The  Vermont  Brigade  showed  by  its  wasted  numbers 
the  hard  and  dangerous  service  it  had  seen,  and  the  gallant 
manner  in  which  it  had  discharged  its  duties.  Captain 
Nason  had  been  sent  home  so  severely  wounded  that  he 
could  never  draw  his  sword  again.  All  the  others  of  our 
old  friends  had  not  only  survived  their  perils  but  had 
escaped  unhurt,  but  their  bronzed  faces  and  the  diminished 
form  of  private  Hank  Wait,  who  had  left  sixty  pounds  of  his 
flesh  upon  the  Peninsula,  bore  witness  to  the  fact  that  they 
had  not  escaped  their  full  share  of  hardship. 

One  night,  before  the  southward  movement  of  the  army 
had  begun  and  while  it  was  waiting  for  the  rebel  Jeb. 
Stuart  to  ride  around  it,  as  he  had  done  once  before,  private 
Wait  was  stationed  on  picket. 

"  On  your  care,"  said  Lieut.  Joe  Safford,  addressing 
Hank,  "  depends  perhaps  the  safety  of  the  army  and  the 
fate  of  the  country.  I  therefore  caution  you  not  to  snore 
as  loudly  as  usual,  else  you  will  be  likely  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  the  enemy  and  furnish  them  a  sure  guide  to  our 
position." 

Picket  duty  is  not  the  most  pleasant  experience  of  a 
soldier's  life,  and  as  the  hours  lagged,  as  though  loth  to 
depart,  while  nothing  occurred  to  disturb  the  silence  and 
darkness  of  the  night,  Hank's  thoughts  became  anything 


86 


THE    NORWICH   CADETS! 


but  cheerful  companions,  and  he  began  to  wish  that  some- 
thing would  happen  to  relieve  the  monotony  and  prove  his 
vigilance. 

The  wish  was  scarcely  formed,  and  not  fully  endorsed 
by  his  better  judgment,  when  he  heard  footsteps  approach- 
ing and  the  sound  of  voices.  As  the  disturbers  of  his  quiet 
came  nearer  and  got  within  what  he  considered  a  proper 
distance,  or  an  improper  nearness,  he  hailed  them : 

"  Who  goes  there  ?" 

"  Friends." 

"  Halt,  friends  ;  let  one  advance  and  give  the  counter- 
sign." 

There  was  a  halt  and  when  one  came  forward,  speaking 
as  he  came — 

"  We  have  not  the  countersign ;  we  are  prisoners 
escaped  from  the  enemy,  and  wish  to  be  taken  into  the 
Union  camp." 

"  Halt !  or  I  fire  !"  cried  Hank,  fearing  treachery,  and 
bringing  his  piece  to  his  shoulder. 

"  If  you  are  not  Hank  Wait,  then  I'm  a  rebel,  so  ground 
that  musket,"  returned  the  threatened  stranger,  walking 
rapidly  forward  instead  of  obeying  the  order  to  halt. 

Hank's  fears  were  somewhat  relieved  by  this  familiar 
address,  and  he  permitted  the  unknown  to  approach  him. 
When  he  recognized  the  voice  and  form  of  Capt.  Lyon,  he 
dropped  his  gun  and  seized  his  friend  with  both  hands. 

"Why,  Tom,  where  did  you  rain  from  ?" 

"  From  Richmond,  and  I  brought  a  piece  of  the  cloud 
along  with  me.  Staples  and  Csesar,  come,"  he  called  to  his 
companions,  and  they  soon  appeared. 

"  This  is  the  cloud,  I  suppose,"  said  Hank,  looking  at 
Cresar. 

In  a  short  time  the  three  fugitives  from  Rebeldom 
were  among  their  friends  in  camp,  where  they  were  warmly 
welcomed.     They  had  to  narrate  their  adventures  and  were 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  87 

listened  to  with  interest.  From  their  tale  it  appeared  that 
they  reached  Aquia  Creek  a  few  days  after  we  left  them  dash- 
ing away  on  the  planter's  horses,  and  without  any  incident 
worthy  of  mention.  There  their  dangers  ended.  Learning 
the  location  of  their  regiments,  they  resolved  to  report 
themselves  in  camp  without  delay,  and  getting  transporta- 
tion up  the  Potomac  they  rejoined  the  army  as  we  have 
seen. 

Soon  after  this,  as  we  have  said,  the  army  began  its 
southward  movement,  but  the  advance  had  got  no  further 
than  "Warrenton,  when  Gen.  McClellan  was  relieved  of  the 
Command  and  ordered  home  to  Trenton,  N.  J. 

Gen.  Burnside  now  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
army  of  the  Potomac,  Nov.  8,  1862,  and  immediately  com- 
menced to  move  his  forces  down  the  Rappahannock  to 
Fredericksburg.  Lee  moved  his  army  in  a  parallel  line 
down  the  south  bank  of  the  river,  ready  to  resist  the  cross- 
ing of  the  Union  trooj^s  wherever  they  should  attempt  it. 

Burnside  laid  a  pontoon  across  the  river  to  Fredericks- 
burgh  and  another  about  two  miles  below,  much  of  the 
work  being  done  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy  and  at  a  loss 
of  three  hundred  men.  The  city  was  then  cleared  of  the 
enemy  and  a  few  prisoners  taken,  and  our  army,  100,000 
strong,  had  possession  of  both  banks  of  the  river.  Lee's 
army  of  80,000  men  was  posted  along  the  bluffs  for  a  dis- 
tance of  five  or  six  miles,  a  very  advantageous  position. 
Three  hundred  rebel  guns  were  stationed  on  the  eminences, 
in  a  position  to  rake  every  part  of  the  ground  by  which 
they  could  be  approached.  Immediately  in  the  rear  of 
Fredericksburg  stood  Marye's  Hill,  which  the  rebels  held 
and  which  they  had  fortified  from  its  base"  to  its  summit. 
At  the  base  was  a  stone  wall  behind  which  was  stationed  a 
brigade  of  infantry,  and  above  this  battery  rose  above  bat- 
tery to  the  frowning  summit,  ready  to  pour  down  a  deadly 
storm  of  shot  upon  our  advancing  columns. 


88  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

Burn  side  certainly  showed  himself  unfit  for  command 
when  he  ordered  his  brave  men  to  certain  death  that  there 
awaited  them  ;  but  he  gave  the  command  and  on  the  13th 
day  of  December  the  attack  began.  The  brave  Irish  Brig- 
ade under  Gen.  Meagher  dashed  itself  six  times  against 
that  fiery  hill,  and  of  the  1200  men  led  into  action  but  280 
app eared  on  parade  next  morning.  But  the  slaughter  of 
the  gallant  Irishmen  was  useless,  for  the  position  could  not 
be  carried. 

The  fighting  was  not  all  at  this  point,  however.  Rey- 
nolds  and  Meade  engaged  the  enemy  on  the  left,  farther 
down  the  river,  and  the  Vermont  Brigade  crossed  the  lower 
pontoon  to  take  part  in  the  conflict  which  raged  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Lee's  headquarters. 

The  rebel  cavalry  came  into  action  here,  and  the  famous 
Black  Horse  Cavalry,  which  made  itself  a  name  at  the  first 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  hurled  itself  against  the  steady  front  of 
the  Green  Mountain  Boys.  Men  and  horses  were  mingled 
in  wild  confusion  ;  swords  and  bayonets  chipping  with 
blood  flashed  in  the  sunlight ;  shouts  and  groans  and  the 
reports  of  muskets  and  pistols  filled  the  air. 

"Make  infantry  of  them,"  cried  private  Wait  as  he 
bayoneted  a  horse  and  proceeded  to  knock  its  rider  on  the 
head. 

His  advice  and  example  being  followed,  there  were 
more  horseless  riders  than  riderless  horses  that  escaped  from 
the  field.  Most  of  the  shots  fired  were  aimed  at  the  horses, 
and  when,  after  a  desperate  but  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
throw  the  Old  Brigade  into  confusion,  the  enemy  withdrew. 
There  were  scores  of  horses  left  behind  never  to  be  ridden 
into  battle  agaib. 

"  I'm  afraid  black  horses  will  get  scarce  in  Virginia  if 
they  ain't  more  careful  of  them,"  said  Hank,  as  his  company 
re-formed  its  rather  uneven  line,  and  in  obedience  to  com- 
mand turned  to  meet  and  overcome  new  dangers, 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  89 

Thus  all  day  long  the  battle  raged  in  different  parts  of 
the  extensive  field.  Sometimes  success  at  particular  points 
waited  on  our  arms,  but  the  result  of  the  entire  conflict  was 
greatly  against  us.  It  was  a  defeat  to  the  Union  army, 
and  when  night  closed  the  slaughter,  we  had  lost  15,000 
men  and  gained  not  one  inch  of  ground,  or  any  material 
advantage. 

Burnside's  attempt  had  proved  a  bloody  and  costly 
failure.  For  the  next  two  days  the  two  hostile  armies  stood 
facing  each  other,  neither  daring  to  attack,  and  then  our 
army  was  withdrawn  to  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  and 
Fredericksburg  abandoned. 

On  the  return  of  the  troops,  Csesar,  who  had  prudently 
refrained  from  crossing  the  river,  made  his  appearance 
among  his  friends  and  seemed  pleased  to  find  them  un^ 
harmed. 

"  Ain't  you  sorry  you  didn't  go  over,  Caesar  ?"  inquired 
Hank. 

"  Not  berry,  sah  ?  de  air  am  more  salubricarious  on  dis 
side." 

"But  there  was  a  chance  to  win  glory,"  persisted 
Hank. 

"  Neber  cared  for  sich  tings,"  replied  Caesar,  loftily. 
'•  Weren't  you  just  a  little  afraid  of  being  shot  ?" 
"  No,  sah  ;  not  'fraid  ;  but  Ise  wuf  money,  an'  my  missis 
tole  me  to  be  careful   ob   myself.     White  men  don't  cos' 
nuffin,  and  won't  sell  for  nuflin,  but  when  you  shoot  me, 
dere's  a  tousan'  dollars  frowed  away." 

"  It's  just  as  well,  my  colored  friend,  that  you  didn't 
risk  your  precious  form,"  said  Dr.  Sanord,  who  happened  to 
be  passing  by;  "for  there  wasn't  glory  enough  to  go 
around  among  the  white  men.  Our  captain,  your  master, 
took  the  lion's  share,  which  was  quite  natural  and  proper 
for  a  Lyon  to  do." 


90  THE    NORWICH    CADETS : 

The  pontoons  were  taken  up — the  enemy  re  occupied 
Fredericksburg,  and  hostilities  were  reduced  to  picket-firing 
across  the  river. 

Capt.  Lyon  had  distinguished  himself  by  his  coolness 
and  bravery  and  was  soon  after  promoted  to  major. 

Burnside's  usefulness  as  commander  of  the  army  of  the 
Potomac  was  at  an  end,  and  he  was  soon  after  released  from 
the  command,  though  he  was  on  the  eve  of  putting  in 
execution  a  new  plan  for  the  capture  of  Richmond. 

Nearly  all  our  commanders  seemed  to  labor  under  and 
to  be  governed  by  the  impression  that  the  taking  of  Rich- 
mond would  prove  the  end  of  the  rebellion,  while  to  a  non- 
military  mind  it  appears  that  the  mere  capture  of  that  city 
would  have  resulted  in  nothing  more  serious  to  the  rebel 
cause  than  the  necessity  of  removing  the  rebel  government 
to  some  other  locality.  Time  proved  that  the  only  practical 
method  of  conquering  the  Confederacy  was  to  wear  it  out — 
to  kill,  wound  and  take  prisoners  its  fighting  men,  to 
deplete  its  treasury  and  ruin  its  credit — to  cripple  all  its 
resources  so  that  it  could  no  longer'  keep  an  effective  army 
in  the  field.  Every  rebel  soldier  disabled  for  service,  every 
thousand  dollars  spent  in  equipping  an  army  for  the  field, 
every  week  of  time  during  which  they  were  obliged  to 
maintain  their  cause  at  great  expense,  helped  on  the  final 
consummation.  When  men  and  money  and  needful  sup- 
plies began  to  grow  scarce,  the  rebellion,  which  had  been  .a 
mere  shell  for  some  time,  suddenly  collapsed.  k  80  long  as 
an  effective  blockade  was  kept  up,  it  didn't  matter  much 
where  the  fighting  was  done,  if  only  it  was  done. 


A   TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  91 


CHAPTER    X. 

CHANCELLORSVILLE    AND    GETTYSBURG STANNARD's    BRIGADE — OUR 

HEROES  MEET  AGAIN    IN  BATTLE STAPLES  TURNS  THE  TIDE 

•     C2ESAR     SEEKS     HIS     WOUNDED     MASTER     ON    THE    FIELD THE 

SLAVE'S  AFFECTION  FOR  HIS    MASTER A    MYSTERY  TO  PRIVATE 

WAIT  IN  HOSPITAL CONVALESCENT A  SURPRISE. 

E  N .    Hooker  assumed  command  of  the  army 

]of  the  Potomac,    Jan.   26th,   1863.     The  army 

was  in    a  bad  condition.     The  men  were   dis- 

x  heartened   by  the  disasters   they  had  suffered 


and  desertions  were  frequent.  General  Hooker 
wisely  spent  two  months  in  disciplining  and 
inspiriting  his  troops  and  with  such  success  that 
at  the  end  of  that  time  he  had  an  army  of  123,- 
OOCPmen,  who  had  confidence  in  their  general  and  were 
ready  once  more  to  meet  the  foe.  The  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville,  which  was  to  try  their  courage,  was  fought  on 
nearly  the  same  field  as  that  of  Fredericksburg,  the  scene  of 
their  late  defeat. 

Gen.  Hooker  mapped  his  intended  movement  so  well 
that  he  succeeded  in  crossing  the  Rappahannock  without 
any  loss  or  opposition  whatever.  He  was  confident  of 
victory,  and  declared  that  he  held  Lee's  army  in  onejmnd 
and  Richmond  in  the  other.  Seven  days  elapsed  from  the 
crossing  to  the  re-crossing  of  the  river — days  filled  up  with 
important  movements   and  heavy  fighting.     The  first  col- 


92  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  ! 

lision  was  rather  to  the  advantage  of  the  rebels.  The  next 
day  Stonewall  Jackson  with  25,000  men,  having  greatly 
changed  his  position  by  marching  all  day  and  concealing 
his  movements  from  observation,  appeared  in  a  part  of  the 
field  where  he  wTas  not  expected,  and  suddenly  emerging 
from  the  woods  he  burst  upon  the  11th  corps  near  nightfall, 
routing  it  and  scattering  the  panic  stricken  fugitives,  who 
carried  dismay  wherever  they  fled  with  their  tidings  of 
disaster.  Pouring  down  the  Chancellorsville  road  they 
threatened  to  infect  the  whole  army  with  the  fright  which 
possessed  them. 

Pleasanton,  with  his  artillery,  arrested  the  tide  of  dis- 
aster which  threatened  to  engulf  all.  Ordering  Major 
Keenan  with  500  men  to  charge  the  rebel  25,000,  which  he 
did  at  the  cost  of  his  life  ten  minutes  after,  Pleasanton  had 
time  to  get  his  guns  in  position  and  double-shotted.  Three 
times  the  rebels  charged  upon  him — once  to  within  fifty 
yards  of  his  guns — but  each  time  they  were  repulsed  with 
tremendous  slaughter. 

In  this  engagement  Stonewall  Jackson  fell  mortally 
wounded,  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  at  night,  and 
Pleasanton,  supported  by  Sickles'  infantry,  was  left  master 
of  the  position. 

All  night  operations  continued.  At  midnight  Gen. 
Sickles  advanced  a  division  and  ordered  a  charge  down  the 
plank  road,  which  drove  back  the  rebels  and  recovered  a 
part  of  the  ground  lost  by  rout  of  the  11th  corps.  At  day- 
light, however,  he  was  ordered  by  Hooker  to  fall  back  on 
Chancellorsville,  which  he  did  slowly  and  without  loss, 
although  closely  followed  by  the  enemy. 

It  wTas  Sunday,  May  3d,  and  the  rebels,  led  by  J.  E.  B. 
Stuart,  dashed  themselves  upon  Sickles'  corps  with  such 
gallantry  and  utter  recklessness  of  life  that  they  deserved 
success,  if  gallantry  alone  can  ever  observe  it.  Up  to  the 
very  mouths  of  our  cannon  they  charged,  but  the  discharge 


A    TALE    OF    THE   REBELLION.  93 

from  forty  guns,  ably  handled,  cut  frightful  swaths  through 
their  close  ranks.  The  Union  troops  fought  them  until 
their  ammunition  was  exhausted,  and  then  repelled  five 
fierce  charges  with  their  bayonets.  A  message  was  then 
sent  to  headquarters  for  relief,  but  in  vain,  as  Hooker  had 
been  rendered  insensible  by  a  cannon  ball,  which  struck  a 
pillar  of  the  Chancellorsville  house,  against  which  he  was 
leaning.  The  hard  pressed  corps  was  forced  to  fall  back 
and  soon  tjie  whole  army  was  withdrawn  a  mile  northward, 
leaving  Chancellorsville  to  the  enemy. 

The  fight  was  nearly  all  over  in  this  part,  but  Sedg- 
wick, who  had  crossed  the  river  two  or  three  miles  below 
Fredericksburg,  with  the  intention  of  falling  on  Lee's  rear 
and  crushing  the  rebel  army  between  himself  and  Hooker, 
now  renewed  the  contest,  which  raged  as  fiercely  as  before. 

The  Vermont  Brigade,  belonging  to  the  6th  corps,  was 
with  Sedgwick.  Maj.  Lyon  was  in  command  of  his  regi- 
ment, in  the  absence  of  any  superior  officer.  The  troops 
began  their  march  from  the  pontoons  at  night,  and  fighting 
every  inch  of  the  way,  entered  Fredericksburg  at  daylight 
Monday  morning. 

The  rebel  troops  were  concentrated  on  Marye's  hill, 
which  Burnside  had  vainly  attempted  to  carry  in  the  former 
battle,  and  where  the  Irish  Brigade  had  been  sacrificed. 

The  first  attempt  to  clear  the  rifle-pits  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill  was  repulsed,  and  another  plan  was  resolved  upon. 
Just  before  noon  three  storming  columns,  one  of  them  led 
by  Maj.  Lyon  and  composed  entirely  of  Green  Mountain 
Boys,  advanced  with  resolute  step  against  Cemetery  hill, 
which  it  was  thought  best  to  attack  first. 

Under  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  they  charged  up  the  hill 
without  halting  or  wavering.  Closing  up  their  ranks  as 
often  as  they  were  broken  by  the  fire  they  sustained,  they 
pushed  on  with  determined  faces,  and  eyes  fixed  on  the 
summit  of  that  hill  as  the  goal  they  must  reach. 


94  THE   NORWICH    CADETS  t 

"Steady,  boys!  forward!"  cried  Lyon  at  every  dis- 
charge of  lead  which  rained  upon  them. 

The  very  tone  of  his  voice  gave  assurance  that  the 
order  would  be  obeyed.  Up  the  height  they  rushed,  our 
hero  at  their  head,  while  the  tall  form  of  Lieut.  Joe  Safford 
kept  close  in  his  rear  like  an  elongation  of  his  shadow. 

"  This  is  worse  than  climbing  Atherton's  hill,  after 
the  cows,"  eooly  remarked  Joe.  referring  to  the  home  cow- 
pasture. 

"  I  wish  I  was  there,  though.'*  said  Hank,  who  was  in 
the  front  rank  and  heard  the  remark.  ''I'd  rather  swallow 
raspberries,  with  the  worms  on,  than  these  cannon  balls." 

Still  upward  they  pressed  with  unabated  courage  till 
only  a  few  yards  separated  them  from  the  enemy. 

"Upon  them,  boys!"  shouted  Lyon,  waving  his  sword 
and  dashing  upon  the  rebel  gunners  as  though  he  had  been 
shot  from  a  mortar. 

His  sword  flashed  and  writhed  like  a  fiery  serpent  and 
death  followed  its  every  stroke.  His  men  swarmed  after 
him  over  the  crest  of  the  hill  and  a  few  seconds  decided  the 
cpiestion  of  mastery.  The  fight  was  won,  and  200  prisoners 
with  guns  and  camp  equipage  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
victors.  A  rousing  cheer  announced  the  fact  to  all  con- 
cerned. 

But  the  victory  was  not  gained  without  cost.  That 
bloody  slope — fitly  named  cemetery  hill — was  scattered 
over  with  the  dead  bodies  of  brave  men,  and  in  the  very 
moment  of  triumph  the  gallant  Safford  sank  down  on  the 
height,  severely  wounded. 

But  there  was  no  time  to  mourn  for  the  dead,  and 
scarce  any  to  care  for  the  wounded.  Hank  was  permitted  to 
remain  behind  to  care  for  his  old  school-mate  and  boyhood's 
friend,  Lieut.  Joe,  and  the  storming  column  rushed  ou 
against  Bfarye's  hill  like  a  resistless  wave  at  floodtidp,  bear- 
ing an  before  it. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  05 

The  second  height  was  taken  like  the  first,  and  glory 
rested  on  the  banners  of  the  Old  Brigade. 

Still  onward  rushed  Sedgwick's  victorious  corjos  on  the 
track  of  the  retiring  rebels  for  three  or  four  miles,  when  the 
latter  halted  and  gave  battle.  Their  position  proved  too 
strong  to  be  carried,  and  when  Lee.  having  compelled 
Hooker  to  retire  from  his  front,  turned  the  bulk  of  his  army 
upon  Sedgwick,  oar  troops  were  forced  back  before  the 
superior  force  brought  against  them,  and  finally  during  the 
night  Sedgwick  was  obliged  to  retreat  across  the  river  with 
heavy  loss. 

The  next  night  Hooker  himself  crossed  to  the  north 
side  of  the  river  with  the  balance  of  our  army  and  the 
battle  of  Chancellorsville  was  ended.  The  losses  of  the 
enemy  were  doubtless  as  great  as  our  own,  but  for  the 
second  time  they  had  driven  us  across  the  Rhappahannock, 
and  with  some  show  of  reason  they  claimed  the  victory. 

Our  hero,  for  gallant  conduct,  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  colonel,  and  Hank  would  have  been  ennobled  by 
being  raised  to  the  rank  of  corporal,  but  he  distinctly  de- 
clined the  honor. 

"  I  ain't  ambitious,"  said  he :  "I  don't  hanker  after  office. 
In  my  humble  sphere  I  am  content  to  remain  and  do  my 
duty  to  my  country  ;  but  who  knows  what  might  happen  if 
I  should  accept  promotion  ?  I  might  not  be  satisfied  till  I 
had  got  to  be  general- in-chief,  and  had  ruined  my  country 
by  proving  the  destroyer  of  its  liberty.  Napoleon  was 
spoiled  by  being  a  corporal.  If  he  hadn't  been  corporal, 
he  never  would  have  been  general  or  emperor,  and  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  earth  would  have  been,  considerably  greater 
than  it  is  now.  If  he  had  always  been  a  private  soldier, 
the  blood  spilled  to  gratify  his  ambition  would  have  been 
happily  saved  to  the  world  and  permitted  to  flow  in  peace- 
ful streams  through  the  veins  of  quiet  citizens.  I  don't 
want  to  be  a  second  Napoleon,  and  I  won't.  Through  love 
# 


96  THE  NORWICH  CADETS! 

of  c  Jim  try  I  turn  my  back  on  this  temptation.  All  I  ask 
in  return  is  that  hereafter  a  grateful  people  shall  chisel 
upon  my  gravestone — 'Hank  Wait,  private.  A  patriot  rests 
here.'  " 

Lieut.  SafforcTs  wounds  were  not  mortal,  but  they 
were  such  as  to  incapacitate  him  for  service,  at  least  for  a 
while.  "Under  the  care  of  his  brother,  the  doctor,  he  grew 
strong  enough  to  make  the  journey  to  Vermont,  and  he  was 
sent  home  to  complete  his  recovery  with  the  hope  of  a 
speedy  return. 

A  month  of  inaction  ensued,  and  then  Lee  put  his  army 
in  motion  for  an  invasion  of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania. 
When  it  became  evident  that  an  important  movement  was 
ofoingf  on,  there  was  considerable  skirmishing  and  some 
engagements  but  no  great  battle. 

The  rebel  army,  passing  up  the  south  bank  of  the  Rap- 
pahannock, crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  into  the  Shedandoah 
valley  and  moved  nortlrward,  taking  Winchester  in  the  wray, 
threatening  Harper's  Ferry  and  even  Washington,  before 
Hooker  began  to  move  in  force.  The  rebels  had  a  week  the 
start,  and  fording  the  Potomac  they  struck  across  Mary- 
land and  up  as  far  as  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  without  meeting 
any  serious  opposition. 

-  On  the  eve  of  the  great  battle,  Hooker  and  Halleck 
disagreed  in  regard  to  the  propriety  of  holding  Harper's 
Ferry,  and  Hooker,  at  his  own  request,  was  relieved  of  the 
command,  and  Gen.  Meade  was  appointed  his  successor, 
taking  command  of  the  army  June  28th,  1863. 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  was  a  village  of  3,000  inhabitants, 
and  there  Lee  concentrated  his  army,  and  there  the  battle 
was  fought,  although  Meade  had  maneuvered  at  a  point 
some  fifteen  miles  southeast  of  there. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  give  a  detailed  account  of  the 
battle,  which  is  a  matter  of  history,  but  to  relate  those  in- 
cidents of  it  in  which  our  characters  were  concerned, 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  07 

The  part  which  the  troops  of  Vermont  took  in  this 
decisive  battle  reflects  credit  upon  them,  and  is  a  matter  of 
just  pride  to  the  State  which  sent  them  into  the  field. 

The  2d  brigade  of  Vermonters,  composed  of  the  12th, 
13th,  14th,  15th  and  16th  regiments,  9  months  mon,  under 
Gen.  Stannard,  performed  the  most  gallant  service,  and  in 
the  opinion  of  Major  Gen.  Doubleday  the  country  is  mainly 
indebted  to  them  for  the  final  victory  of  the  third  of  July. 

Two  different  times  charging  on  the  flank  of  advancing 
rebel  columns,  they  scooped  them  en  masse  into  our  lines, 
and  the  16th  regiment,  Col.  Veazey,  in  the  last  charge, 
captured  from  the  enemy  the  colors  of  their  regiments. 
Although  it  was  to  most  of  them  their  first  battle,  they  fought 
with  the  coolness  of  veterans.  Their  movements  were 
executed  in  the  open  field,  under  heavy  fire  and  with  the 
promptness  and  decision  of  batallion  drill.  They  ended  the 
contest  in  the  center  and  substantially  closed  the  battle. 
General  Stannard  himself  was  badly  wounded,  but  refused 
to  leave  the  field  until  the  contest  was  over. 

The  Old  Brigade,  of  which  Lyon's  regiment  formed  a 
part,  was  with  the  rest  of  the  6th  corps  at  Manchester, 
thirty  miles  away,  on  July  1st.  Receiving  orders,  they 
began  their  march  for  Gettysburg  at  7  p.  m.  They  passed 
over  a  rough  and  hilly  country,  marching  as  long  as  they 
could  see  to  do  so  to  any  advantage,  and  finally  halted  on  a 
mountain  side  to  rest  and  wait  for  daylight.  Their  rations 
were  nearly  exhausted,  but  the  spirits  of  the  men,  inured 
to  hardship,  were  lively  and  hopeful. 

Officers  and  men  threw  themselves  down  together, 
wherever  they  halted,  and  partook  of  such  refreshments  as 
their  haversacks  afforded.  Col.  Lyon,  Captain  Merritt,  and 
Dr  Safford  and  Hank  sat  down  together. 

"  Supper  is  ready,  gentlemen,"  said  Hank,  producing 
his  last   hardtack.     "  Tins  is  the  first  course,  just  to  give 


98  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  I 

you  an  appetite  for  what  isn't  likely  to  follow.     Have  a  bite 
Colonel?" 

The  Colonel  declined,  as  did  his  companions,  and  Hank 
disposed  of  the  whole  first  course  without  any  seeming 
difficulty,  but  did  not  seem  quite  surfeited. 

'•  Doctor."  he  requested,  be  so  kind  as  to  help  me  to  a 
portion  of  that  turkey  in  front  of  you — the  second  joint 
please." 

u  Pray  restrain  your  voracity,  private  Wait,  returned 
the  doctor.  "  As  your  physician.  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  warn 
you  against  overloading  your  stomach.  Overeating  is  the 
curse  of  the  country  an -J  is  making  a  nation  of  dyspeptics. 
According  to  such  medical  authorities  as  Dr.  Dio  Starvem, 
a  single  hardtack,  such  as  you  have  just  devoured  with  such 
improper  haste,  is  quite  as  much  nourishment  as  any  man 
ought  to  receive  after  12  o'clock  noon." 

u  Thank  you  doctor  :  I  am  very  glad  I  haven't  eaten 
any  more,  and  I  hope  you  will  continue  to  look  carefully 
after  my  health.  I  shall  write  to  my  mother  in  regard  to 
your  kindness,  and  I  doubt  not  her  anxiety  will  be  much 
relieved." 

"  It  would,  I  think,  have  been  much  better  if  you  had 
eaten  nothing  at  all  at  this  hour  of  the  night."' 

"  Give  me  an  emetic,  doctor,  and  I  will  be  more  careful 
after  this." 

"I  hope,"  said  Merrifct,  "that  Dr.  Starvem  won't  be 
appointed  commissary  general  :  but  to  change  the  subject 
from  eating,  of  which  there  is  little  to  do,  to  lighting,  of 
which  we  have  always  had  enough,  what  do  you  think. 
Colonel,  is  the  prospect  of  our  being  in  season  to  have  a  hand 
in  the  expected  battle  ?" 

"  The  prospect  is  dark.  I  am  afraid  we  shall  be  late 
for  the  main  battle,  but  there  will  probably  be  work  for  us 
when  we  get  there.  I  never  knew  the  Old  Brigade  to  fall 
short  of  its  full  share," 


A  TALE    OF   THE    REBELLION.  99 

-  We  shall  be  on  the  move  as  soon  as  it  is  light 
enough,"  said  the  doctor,  "  and  if  you  have  any  respect  for 
my  judgment,  you  will  stop  talking  and  stop  thinking  if 
possible,  and  get  all  the  sleep  you  can.'" 

"  Your  views  in  regard  to  sleep,  though  not  quite  so 
novel  to  me  as  those  you  have  expressed  in  regard  to  diet, 
appear  to  be  equally  correct,  and  I  shall  govern  myself 
accordingly,"  said  Hank,  stretching  himself  on  the  hillside 
at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  with  the  plane  of  the 
horizon. 

"  I  advise  you,"  he  continued,  after  some  efforts  to 
neutralize  the  force  of  gravity  which  was  drawing  him  down 
the  inclined  plane  of  his  earthly  couch,  ;;  to  stick  your  toes 
well  into  the  ground  if  you  don't  wish  to  find  yourselves 
at  the  foot  of  the  hill  in  the  morning." 

The  tired  soldiers  were  soon  asleep,  and  slept  soundly 
in  spite  of  their  uncomfortable  lodgings  till  daylight 
roused  them  to  resume  their  march  to  the  field,  where  the 
work  of  death  was  already  going  on. 

They  arrived  at  Gettysburg,  weary  enough,  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  second  day  and  were  soon  after  thrown  into 
the  conflict. 

Col.  Lyon's  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  front  to 
relieve  a  regiment  which  had  exhausted  its  ammunition, 
and  at  the  same  time  on  the  rebel  side,  Col.  Wolfe  and  his 
regiment  of  Georgians  was  ordered  on  to  the  field  for  a 
similar  reason. 

As  the  opposing  troops  were  but  a  short  distance 
apart,  Wolfe  recognized  his  old  friend  and  held  his  hat  aloft 
on  his  sword-point  to  attract  attention.  Lyon  saw  and 
courteously  saluted  him,  and  then  these  almost  brothers 
began  their  fight. 

It  was  Georgia  against  Vermont,  and  both  sides  were 
determined  to  win.     The  Norwich  Cadets  met  now  for  the 


1130  THE  NORWICH   cadets: 

second  time  in  battle,  and  neither  of  them  had  the  slightest 
idea  of  yielding  to  the  other. 

Volley  after  volley  was  exchanged,  and  men  fell  on 
both  sides.  Lyon  received  a  bullet  through  his  right  hand  ; 
seizing  his  sword  in  his  left,  he  still  encouraged  his  men. 

"Charge,  Georgians!''  cried  Wolfe,  and  at  the  word  his 
men  sprang  forward  with  deafening  yells. 

The  order  was  plainly  heard  by  the  northerners. 
"Charge,  Vermonters!"  cried  Lyon,  before  the  former 
order  had  fairly  died  away,  and  wraving  his  sword  he  rushed 
at  the  head  of  his  ready  followers  to  meet  the  coming 
wave.  The  combatants  met  with  a  shock  and  were  mingled 
in  a  contest  at  close  quarters. 

The  two  friends  avoided  each  other,  but  they  spared  no 
others. 

"  Down  with  them  !"  exclaimed  Lyon,  cheering  on  his 
men  as,  bleeding  from  his  wounds,  he  fought  left-handed 
with  deadly  effect  against  all  who  opposed  him. 

"Down  it  is,"  responded  Hank,  the  unpromoted,  as 
his  bayonet  transfixed  a  southern  captain,  whose  uplifted 
sword  in  another  instant  would  have  cleft  the  colonel's 
head. 

The  Georgians,  animated  by  the  example  of  their  com- 
mander, fought  with  reckless  fury,  and  as  one  of  them  by  a 
sudden  bayonet  thrust  wThich  Hank  (who  kept  close  by  the 
side  of  his  wounded  colonel)  was  not  quick  enough  to  pre- 
vent, though  he  took  a  deadly  revenge  for  it,  brought  Lyon 
to  the  ground,  it  seemed  as  though  the  battle  would  go  in 
Wolfe's  favor.  He  saw  his  friend  fall  and  rushed  to  the 
spot  to  save  his  life  if  possible. 

At  that  critical  juncture  a  New  Hampshire  regiment 
appeared  upon  the  scene  and  Capt.  Staples  vnth  his  com- 
pany dashed  into  the  midst  of  the  fight.  The  Georgians 
were  soon  scattered — some  being  taken  prisoners — but  their 
colonel,  scorning  to  flee  and  fighting  to  the  last,  wras  struck 


A    TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  101 

senseless  to  the  ground,  without  having  been  recognized  by- 
Staples. 

It  was  nearly  dark  and  the  fighting  was  ended  for  the 
day.  The  Vermonters  bore  away  the  body  of  their  wound- 
ed colonel. 

Under  the  skillful  treatment  of  Dr.  Safford,  Lyon  was 
restored  to  consciousness  and  his  wounds  properly  dressed. 
As  soon  as  he  had  collected  his  thoughts  he  spoke  to  Csesar, 
who  with  Hank  was  watching  over  him,  and  told  him  that 
his  young  master  William,  Col.  Wolfe,  was  probably  lying 
on  the  field  of  battle  either  dead  or  wounded. 

The  affectionate  negro  shed  tears  at  this  intelligence. 

"  Massa  Lyon,  let  me  go  an'  find  my  young  massa." 

,;  Yes  ;  go  with  him,  Hank,"  said  Lyon. 

Accordingly  Hank  and  Csesar  set  out  together  for  the 
lately  contested  field,  carrying  a  stretcher  with  them,  and 
full  canteens  of  water.  The  evening  Avas  sufficiently  light 
and  they  found  their  way  to  the  spot  without  difficulty. 
Stepping  over  the  dead,  both  Mend  and  foe,  looking  in  this 
and  that  pale  upturned  face,  or  stopping  to  give  a  drink  to 
some  groaning  wounded  rebel,  they  sought  for  the  young 
colonel. 

An  exclamation  from  Csesar  brought  Hank  to  his  side. 
He  was  bending  over  the  senseless  form  of  his  master,  one 
side  of  whose  face  was  covered  with  blood  which  had  flowed 
from  a  wound  in  the  head. 

"  Oh !  de  good  Lord  spare  him !  Am  he  dead,  massa 
Wait  ?" 

Hank  examined  the  young  officer  and  decided  that  he 
was  not  dead.  He  had  received  an  ugly  blow  on  the  head, 
but  no  necessarily  mortal  wound  was  discovered. 

Ceesar  seemed  much  relieved  when  Hank  expressed  the 
opinion  that  his  master  would  live,  but  the  Vermonter 
could  hardly  understand  the  affection   of  the  slave,  for  one 


102  ME  NORWICH  cadets: 

who  claimed  the  ownership  of  his  body  and  the  right  to 
all  the  fruits  of  his  labor. 

"  I  feel  pretty  certain,''  he  remarked  to  himself,  rather 
more  than  to  Caesar,  "  that  the  only  stretcher  I  should  furn- 
ish to  the  man  who  called  himself  my  master,  would  be  in 
the  shape  of  a  hempen  cord."' 

Without  further  delay  they  carefully  raised  the  wound- 
ed man  and  placed  him  on  the  stretcher,  and  proceeded  to 
carry  him  within  the  Union  lines.  Arriving  there  in  safety 
with  their  burden,  they  placed  Wolfe  in  the  care  of  the  sur- 
geons, who  succeeded  in  restoring  him  to  consciousness. 
As  his  eyes  rested  with  a  look  of  recognition  on  the  dusky 
but  familiar  face  of  Caesar,  that  devoted  servant  rolled  his 
eyes  upward  aud  ejaculated : 

"  Bress  de  Lord !  bress  de  Lord  !  Massa  William,  you's 
a  gwine  to  get  well,"  and  the  happy  fellow  wept  tears  of  joy. 

The  wounded  were  in  due  time  removed  to  the  hospital 
in  Washington,  and  our  two  heroes  occupied  adjacent  beds. 
They  were  soon  out  of  danger,  though  there  was  no  pros- 
pect of  their  taking  part  in  any  further  operations  during 
that  campaign. 

Caesar  nursed  them  both  with  the  utmost  fidelity,  and 
seemed  never  to  tire  of  rendering  them  every  service  in  his 
power.  Night  and  day  he  was  at  hand  whenever  wanted, 
and  his  dark  face  shone  with  the  light  of  joy  whenever  there 
appeared  a  decided  improvement  in  the  condition  of  his 
patients. 

As  the  two  Mends  began  to  convalesce,  and  they  re- 
sumed the  familiar  intercourse  of  cadet  life,  the  days  passed 
pleasantly  away  and  the  last  two  years  seemed  an  interval 
of  dreams.  To  men  of  active  temperament,  life  confined 
to  the  narrow  limits,  and  jostled  by  the  unpleasant  associa- 
tions of  a  hospital,  has  not  many  attractions ;  but  they  had 
only  to  shut  their  eyes  and  listen  to  each  other's  voices  to 
be  transported,   in  imagination,  back  to  their  old  room  at 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  103 

Norwich  ;  and  these  days  of  their  recovery  and  the  gradual 
return  of  strength  were  the  happiest  they  had  known  since 
their  parting  at  the  University.  It  was  the  calm  after  the 
storm,  and  they  experienced  a  quietude  of  spirit  born  of 
the  serenity  around  them. 

•'  That  was  a  neat  trick  of  yours,  Torn,  in  leaving  Rich- 
mond," remarked  Wolfe  one  day. 

"A  Yankee  trick,  but  hardly  worth  patenting,"  replied 
Lyon. 

"  The  Yankee  is  an  inventive  animal." 

'•  I  guess  you  reckon  rightly  ;  but  I  can't  see  how  any 
man,  even  a  Georgian,  could  remain  shut  up  in  prison,  as 
I  was.  without  trying  to  discover  some  way  of  escape." 

"  In  your  situation  at  that  time,  the  idea  of  escape 
would  never  have  occurred  to  me." 

••And  I  presume  the  idea  of  getting  away  from  here 
has  not  entered  your  tropical  brain  ;  but  if  I  were  in  your 
situation  I  should  be  revolving  in  my  mind  some  plan  to 
get  across  the  Potomac." 

"  I  never  was  good  at  getting  out  of  a  scrape,  but  I 
am  first  rate  at  getting  into  one.  There  is  nothing  of  your 
Y'ankee  cuteness  in  my  composition  :  it  isn't  indigenous  to 
the  southern  soil." 

;- It  is  handy  though  sometimes,''  said  Tom. 

"  Extremely  useful,  I  admit ;  I  am  glad  there  are  a 
few  Yankees  in  the  world.  Nobody  but  a  Boston  Yankee 
would  ever  have  thought  of  catching  the  lightning,  and  no- 
body born  out  of  Newr  England  would  ever  have  dreamed 
of  teaching  it  to  talk. 

"  It's  a  pity  your  compatriots,  or  fellow  rebels,  don't 
share  your  admiration  of  the  Yankee.  I  fear  you  are  not 
an  orthodox  confederate." 

'•  I  lived  too  long  in  Vermont,  I  think.  But  tell  me, 
how  did  you  get  out  of  Libby  ?" 

ki  I  dropped  out." 


104  THE  NORWICH  CADETS! 

"  That  was  easy  enough  after  you  got  on  the  outside, 
but  how  was  that  done  ?" 

"  I  whittled  out  with  a  jack  knife." ' 

"  I  might  have  known  it.  A  jack  knife  is  implement 
enough  for  a  Yankee,  no  matter  what  the  job  before  him. 
It  is  a  waste  of  money  to  purchase  guns  and  ammunition 
for  your  troops.  If  they  were  only  armed  wTith  jack  knives 
they  would  whittle  the  Confederacy  into  shavings  in  a 
single  campaign." 

"  It  pains  me.  that  I  am  not  able  truthfully  to  say  some- 
thing complimentary  in  return, "  said  Lyon ;  but  whither 
tends  this  flood  of  praise  ?  Can  I  tell  you  anything  more  in 
regard  to  my  escape  from  your  delightful  country  ?  Would 
you  hear  the  narrative  of  my  wanderings  ?  It  is  another 
Odyssy. 

<kI  would  hear  how  it  is  that  I.  find  a  piece  of  my 
property,  called  Caesar,  in  your  possession.*' 

"  Well,  replied  Lyon,  beginning  to  suspect  that  his 
friend  had  some  knowledge  of  the  assistance  he  had  received 
in  leaving  rebel dom.  "  I  fell  in  with  Caesar  after  I  had 
vacated  my  apartment  at  Libby,  and  as  he  expressed  a 
desire  to  travel  and  see  the  world  and  to  give  a  finishing 
touch  to  his  education,  I  took  him  under  my  protection, 
and  brought  him  with  me  to  the  United  States.  If  you 
wish  to  regain  your  property,  we  have  a  fugitive  slave  law." 

"  I  don't  think  I  shall  avail  myself  of  it.  I  am  glad  to 
find  Caesar  here.  But  I  have,  been  in  Richmond,  Tom,  since 
you  left  it  so  suddenly." 

"You  have— and  how  is — did  you  find  your  people 
well  ? — Miss  Heloise  is  the  only  one  of  your  family  that  I 
have  the  honor  to  know." 

"  All  quite  well,  thank  you.  My  sister  told  me  some- 
thing of  her  intercourse  with  yourself  and  your  fellow- 
prisoner  and  tried  to  make  me  think,  Tom,  that  your 
escape  was  a  surprise  to  her.     I  did  not  question  her  much. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION. 


105 


not  caring  to  develop  a  case  of  treason  in  my  family,  and 
allowed  her  to  think  that  I  believed  what  she  wished  to 
have  me." 

"  She  may  have  suspected  my  intention  to  escape,  but 
I  never  divulged  it  to  her,  as  I  did  not  wish  either  to  lead 
her  into  treason,  as  you  call  it,  or  to  impose  upon  her  the 
performance  of  what  she  might  esteem  the  painful  yet  im- 
perative duty  to  betray  me." 

ki  Betray  you  !  I  truly  believe  my  sister  would  sell  the 
whole  Confederacy  and  give  away  all  my  niggers,  to  help  a 
certain  friend  of  mine  out  of  difficulty." 

••  Your  frankness,  Bill,  deserves  to  be  reciprocated.  I 
assure  you  that  I  regard  my  capture  on  the  peninsula  as 
the  most  fortunate  event  of  my  life,  since  it  brought  me 
acquainted  with  Heloise.  I  admire  and  respect  her  as  the 
embodiment  of  all  the  higher  graces  and  virtues  of  her  sex. 
I  feel  that  I  am  all  unworthy  of  her,  and  that  it  is  asking 
much  of  your  friendship  to  ask  you,  as  I  do,  to  smile  upon 
my  suit ;  but  a  man  in  love  is  always  unreasonable." 

"  You  have  my  hearty  good  wishes,  old  friend,  and  my 
full  consent  to  call  me  brother.  And  now,  since  we  under- 
stand each  other,  in  this  matter,  I  wish  to  ask  you  what  has 
become  of  our  Mend  Condon,  the  gigantic  and  heroic." 

*;  As  I  told  you  at  Richmond,  he  left  the  University  to 
attend  medical  lectures  at  Albany,  but  I  have  not  seen  him 
since.  He  wrote  me  two  or  three  times,  each  time  telling 
of  some  astounding  cure  which  he  had  just  performed.  He 
talked  learnedly  of  the  arterial  system,  mentioning  by  name 
as  I  remember,  and  thus  showing  his  familiarity  with  the 
subject,  the  aorta  and  the  auxiliary  and  brachial  arteries. 
Penetrating  still  deeper,  he  spoke  of  the  parietal  bone,  the 
clavicle,  humerus,  carpus  and  metacarpus,  phalanges, 
femur,  tibia  and  fibula.  It  was  my  fault,  I  suppose,  that 
£he  correspondence  wras  not  kept  up." 

N 


106  THE   NORWICH    CADETS  : 

"  You  didn't  appreciate  his  learning.  What  disgusted 
you  would  have  been  rich  food  for  me.  Mat  approached 
nearer  to  my  conception  of  Falstan*  than  any  other  person 
I  ever  met.  He  is  probably  now  the  mighty  man  in  some 
small  village  ;  overtopping  and  overawing  the  multitude : 
slaying  every  third  patient  and  laying  the  blame  on  Provi- 
dence." 

"  No  doubt,"  said  Lyon  ;  "  and  with  his  evening  pipe 
he  tells  to  gaping  admirers  in  the  village  grocery  tales  of 
cadet  life  in  which  he  figures  as  hero.  He  tells  how  at  one 
time  he  fought  and  conquered,  singlehanded,  a  score  of 
Darties,  and  how  on  another  occasion  he  saved  two  friends 
of  his,  Wolfe  and  Lyon,  from  a  beating  and  brought  them 
off  unhurt.'' 

While  the  two  sick  men  were  enjoying  a  feeble  laugh 
over  this  picture  of  the  imagination,  a  heavy  step  was  heard 
approaching.  A  gruff  voice  came  to  their  ears  and  turning 
their  eyes  to  the  quarter  from  which  it  came,  they  both 
gazed  for  some  moments  in  speechless  astonishment. 


A  TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  107 


CHAPTER    XI. 

DR.  CONDON  AND  HIS  TWO  PATIENTS— WOLFE  EXCHANGED— AID  AND 
COMFORT  TO  THE  ENEMY LYON  JOINS  HIS  REGIMENT  AT  FAIR- 
FAX COURT  HOUSE— BRUSHING  THE  DUST  OF  A  CENTURY  FROM 
THE  RECORDS  OF  THE  COURT— UNCLE  SAM  VS.   J.   DAVIS  ET.   AL. 

M  I  awake  ?"  inquired  Wolfe,  rubbing  his  eyes 
and  looking  again.  "  And  if  awake,  is  the  figure 
I  see  the  air-drawn  form  of  a  disordered  mind, 
or  flesh  and  blood  reality  !" 

"  It  is  he,  replied  Lyon.  t;  Hide  your  face 
partially  and  observe  his  motions.  I  think  we 
will  surprise  him  when  he  reaches  us."' 

Down  the  long  alley  came  the  burly  form  of 
no  other  than  Dr.  Mat.  Condon.  Stopping  here 
and  there  at  the  beds  on  either  hand,  he  examined  with  a 
wise  look  the  hurts  of  the  occupants,  asked  a  few  questions, 
and  gave  some  directions  to  the  nurse  in  attendance,  with  a 
tone  and  manner  which  implied  that  a  strict  following  of 
his  directions  would  insure  a  recovery  in  every  case. 

Approaching  the  place  where  his  friends  lay  in  ambush 
for  him,  he  stopped  and  turned  first  to  Lyon. 

-Well,  my  man,  how  are  you  to-day?*'  he  inquired  in 
a  cheerful  tone. 

"  Poorly,  poorly,  doctor,"  replied  Lyon  in  a  faint  voice. 


108  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

"  What  is  your  difficulty  ?" 

•■  Sarcophagus  of  the  cerebellum." 

••  Eh— what— " 

'•  He's  got  it  bad,'"  came  from  the  opposite  bed. 

"  But  he  has  got  something  worse  "  said  Lyon  with  his 
face  still  concealed  and  nodding  his  head  in  Wolfe's  direc- 
tion. 

"  I'd  like  to  know  what  it  is  !"  exclaimed  Dr.  Condon, 
in  some  amazement. 

••  The  poor  fellow  has  the  secession  cerebropathy  in  its 
worst  form." 

•'  Hard  cases."  said  the  doctor ;  brought  on  by  wounds, 
I  suppose." 

"  Say  '  induced  '  and  I'll  agree  with  you." 

v-  We  wrere  shot  all  to  pieces  and  just  sewed  together 
again.  They  brought  the  pieces  here  in  a  hand-basket,  and 
the  surgeon  stitched  one  of  that  fellow's  legs  on  to  me  by 
mistake,"  said  the  sufferer  from  cerebropathy. 

Condon  began  to  think  he  had  a  couple  of  madmen  to 
deal  with. 

"  Let  me  see  your  wound,"  he  said  to  Lyon. 

"  Look,  then."  exclaimed  his  old  comrade,  uncovering 
his  face  and  smiling  at  the  puzzled  Mat. 

"  Tom  Lyon  !  you  rascal.  I've  a  mind  to  break  the  shell 
of  your  cerebellum." 

"  It's  your  only  chance,  Mat,  I'm  weak,  now." 

•;  And  this  other  villian,  must  be  Bill  Wolfe,"  said  Con- 
don, turning  to  the  other  patient  and  exposing  his  features. 

There  was  a  laugh  in  which  Condon  joined  heartily. 

"  Well.  Boys'  he  said.  -  I'm  glad  to  see  you,"  and  he 
shook  their  hands  with  fervor.  'k  The  reunion  of  three 
gallant  hearts  after  a  lapse  of  years  is  a  joyous  event.  How 
we  are  pushed  about  on  the  checker  board  of  life — fewT  of  us 
ever  getting  into  the  king-row,  after  all  our  jumping.  But 
it  is  all  for  the  best,  boys,  all  for  the  best.     What  a  lucky 


A    TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  109 

thing  that  I  studied  medicine,  instead  of  entering  the  army, 
as  all  my  inclinations  urged  me.  In  deference  to  a  mother's 
tears,  I  forsook  the  path  of  glory  to  learn  the  healing  art, 
and  now  I  am  qualified,  to  do  service  to  my  dearest  friends. 
Thank  your  stars,  my  wounded  Cresars,  that  I  have  found 
you.     Now  I'll  have  you  out  of  this  in  less  time  than — " 

;"  Do  you  mean  to  murder  us,  that  you  talk  of  getting 
us  out  of  here  ?"  interrupted  Wolfe.  "  Your  patients  go 
out  in  boxes,  I  suppose." 

"  That's  what  he  means,''  chimed  in  Lyon,  "  but  they 
don't  call  it  murder ;  that  is  a  legal  term.  The  medical  pro- 
fession has  a  variety  of  technical  terms  to  designate  differ 
ent  modes  of  snapping  the  vital  thread.'' 

"  Their  little  pellets  are  more  deadly  than  poisoned 
bullets,  and  what  makes  the  doctors  more  terrible  than  an 
army  with  banners  is  the  fact  that  their  raw  recruits  are 
their  best  shots." 

"  Halt,  there,"  cried  Condon  ;  "  as  a  physician,  as  well 
as  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman,  I  can't  hear  the  profession 
slandered.  If  you  don't  give  it  the  honor  due.  I  leave  you 
to  your  fate." 

"  We  can't  spare  you,  Mat,  now  we  have  you,  but  we 
can  your  medicine.  You  may  safely  reckon  that  we  won't 
deplete  your  stock  of  drugs." 

"  No,"  added  Lyon  ;  ki  though  willing  to  do  almost 
anything  to  oblige  an  old  friend,  we  are  hardly  ready 
to  be  made  subjects  of  for  the  sake  of  furthering  your 
knowledge  and  increasing  your  skill." 

';  I  would  like  to  show  you  how  neatly  I  could  take  off 
your  leg." 

••  We  will  take  it  for  granted  that  you  could  do  it  very 
neatly." 

';  Well  "  said  Condon,  philosophically,  "  I  suppose  the 
doctors  must  be  satisfied  to  remain  to  the  end  of  time  the 
unthanked   benefactors   of  the   race.     Here   I   have  left  a 


110  THE    NORWICH    CADETS  ! 

lucrative  practice  and  come  on  here,  at  the  call  of  suffering 
humanity,  but  not  a  man  is  willing  to  submit  to  an  opera- 
tion, and  if  one  has  a  limb  taken  off  in  an  artistic  manner, 
he  looks  upon  the  surgeon  as  a  personal  enemy." 

"  In  mercy  to  your  home  patients,"  we  ought  to  give 
you  work  enough  to  keep  you  here  a  fewr  weeks  said  Wolfe. 

And  so  the  conversation  went  on.  It  was  renewed 
every  day  when  Condon  visited  the  hospital,  and  though 
his  prescriptions  were  ridiculed  by  his  two  patients,  his 
cheerful  company  proved  a  cordial  to  them,  and  they  daily 
grew  better.  They  were  soon  able  to  walk  about  and  Lyon 
began  to  think  of  rejoining  his  regiment. 

Condon  expressed  to  him  the  great  desire  he  felt  to 
seize  the  weapons  of  warfare  and  serve  through  the  re- 
mainder of  the  war  :  but  stated,  at  the  same  time,  that  the 
numerous  and  urgent  letters  wrhich  he  received  from  his 
deserted  patients  and  the  jDathetic  letters  of  his  aged  mother 
left  him  no  choice  in  the  matter  5  he  would  be  obliged  to  go 
home. 

He  did  go,  a  few  days  before  Lyon  left  the  city,  pro- 
testing to  the  last  against  the  fate  which  doomed  him  to 
physical  inaction  while  his  whole  soul  was  in  arms. 

About  this  time  Wolfe  was  exchanged  and  when  he 
departed  for  the  Confederacy,  Lyon  gave  him  a  letter  ad- 
dressed to  Heloise,  and  divided  with  him  the  amount  of 
greenbacks  of  which  he  happened  at  that  time  to  be  pos- 
sessed. 

"  Aid  and  comfort  to  the  enemy,"  said  Lyon. 

"  I  will  leave  you  Cfesar  as  security,"  answered  "Wolfe, 
and  clasping  each  others'  hands  for  a  moment,  the  two 
friends  separated. 

Maj.  Lyon  found  his  regiment  quartered  at  Fairfax 
Court  House,  where  he  was  welcomed  by  Dr.  Safford  and 
the  rest  of  his  old  comrades,  among  whom  was  Lieutenant 
Joe,  who  had  reported  himself  as  lit  for  duty  again. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  Ill 

There  were  some  weeks  of  rest  and  quiet  while  wait- 
ing for  the  opening  of  the  spring  campaign,  and  our  friends 
managed  to  pass  the  time  agreeably. 

Dr.  Safford  explored  the  archives  and  discovered  many 
ancient  documents  and  interesting  records  which  he  read 
and  commented  on  to  his  companions. ' 

One  day  he  found  the  time  colored  papers  relating  to 
a  suit  on  book-account.  It  appeared  therefrom  that  in  the 
year  1759  "  Mr.  John  Stone,  in  account  with  Alexander 
Henderson,  Factor  for  Mr.  John  Glassford,"  purchased 
sundry  articles,  among  which  were  one  pound  powder, 
one  ounce  thread,  two  pounds  sugar,  one  bushel  salt. 
one  pound  brimstone,  two  dozen  metal  buttons,  one  pewter 
dish,  two  porringers,  two  quarts  rum  and  one  Testament, 
and  neglected  to  pay  therefor. 

Mr.  Glassford.  after  waiting  a  reasonable  time, 
petitioned  u  the  worshipful  court  of  Fairfax  "  and  prayed 
judgment  for  "  four  pounds,  twelve  shillings  and  five 
pence,"  with  costs.  Thereupon  was  issued  the  following 
summons : 

*;  George  the  third  by  the  grace  of  God  of  great 
Britain,  France  and  Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the  Faith, 
etc.,  to  the  sheriff  of  Fairfax,  Greeting :  we  command  you 
that  you  summon  John  Stone  to  appear  before  our  Justice 
of  our  said  county  court  at  the  court-house  the  third  Tues 
day  in  next  month  to  answer  the  petition  of  John  Glass- 
ford, .  and  have  then  and  there  this  writ.  Witness,  Peter 
Wagner,  clerk  of  our  said  court,  the  30th  day  of  April,  in 
the  3d  year  of  our  Reign  1763.  P.  Wagner." 

This  was  written  as  we  have  given  it,  on  coarse  paper, 
but  in  a  fair  round  hand,  as  plain  as  print,  and  decidedly 
superior  to  the  Spencerian  hand,  if  legibility  is  the  chief 
thing  to  be  desired  in  writing. 

Judgment  was  confessed  by  John  Stone  for  the  amount 
claimed. 


112 


THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 


"  This  case  was  brought  before  this  worshipful  court 
one  hundred  years  ago,"  said  Dr  Safford.  turning  his  mental 
eye  backward  over  the  course  of  time. 

"  And  the  sugar  and  the  salt  and  the  rum  were  used  up 
long  ago."  said  Hank. 

"  Yes,  but  the  pewter  dish  may  yet  survive  to  plague  us 
in  the  developed  form  of  rebel  bullets."  remarked  Lieut. 
Joe. 

"  History  repeats  itself,  they  say,"  continued  the  doctor, 
"  and  it  appears  to  me  that  there  is  now  a  parallel  case  be- 
fore this  worshipful  court.  The  descendants  of  this  John 
Stone,  defendant,  stand  charged  on  the  books  of  Uncle 
Sam  with  having  received  from  him  sundry  goods,  benefits 
and  blessings,  for  which  they  refuse  to  pay.  Uncle  Sam 
has  petitioned  to  the  supreme  court  of  the  country,  in  which 
every  man  sits  as  one  of  the  Justices,  and  a  summons  has 
been  issued  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  Sheriff  Grant  to  be 
served." 

••  And  we  are  a  part  of  the  posse  comitatus  to  help  him 
serve  it,"  said  Lyon. 

"  I  hope,  said  Merritt,  "  that  the  defendants  will  con- 
fess judgement  with  costs." 

"  They  seem  inclined  to  contest  the  case,  said  the  major. 
,k  and  we  shall  be  obliged  to  employ  the  argumentum  vaculi- 
num  in  order  to  gain  our  cause." 

"  Yes,  we  will  back  them  down,  and  now  this  court  will 
take  a  recess  and  the  possy  come-at-us  can  do  as  it  pleases," 
and  private  "Wait,  justice,  rose  from  his  seat  and  walked  out 
with  the  dignity  of  a  hundred  years  ago. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  113 


CHAPTER    XII. 

the  battle  of  the  wilderness charge  of  the  old  brigade 

grant's  report behind  the  log  breastwork the  fall 

of  lyon — Cesar's  report. 

LYSSES  S.  GRANT  was  made  Lieut, 
enant  General,  March  2d,  1864,  and  placed  in 
command  of  all  the  armies  of  the  United  States- 
The  army  of  the  Potomac,  numbering  now  some 
thing  over  100,000  men,  was  divided  into  three 
corps,  commanded  respectively  by  Gens.  Han- 
cock, Warren  and  Segdwick — all  being  under 
the  command  of  Gen.  Meade.  It  crossed  the 
Rapidan,  May  4th,  and  moved  into  "The  Wildnerness."  On 
Thursday,  May  5th,  the  Vermont  Brigade,  which  had 
crossed  the  river  at  Germania  Ford  the  day  before,  met  the 
rebel  advance  a  short  distance  from  the  crossings.  They 
met  in  the  dense  woods  at  close  quarters  and  the  battle  of 
the  Wilderness  began. 

The  rebels  had  the  advantage  of  position  and  rained 
their  bullets  in  showers  on  the  Old  Brigade,  which,  however, 
stood  firm.  It  held  the  key  of  the  position  of  the  whole 
array,  and  though  its  ranks  were  being  terribly  thinned,  no 
man  thought  of  retreating.  The  Vermonters  repulsed  every 
attempt  to  dislodge  them,  but  their  valor  cost  them  1,000 


114  THE    NORWICH    CADETS : 

brave  officers  and  men.  That  night  they  slept  upon  the 
battle  field,  with  the  dead  bodies  of  their  comrades  around 
them,  and  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying  filling  the 
aii\ 

The  next  morning  the  Brigade  advanced  again  to  the 
attack,  and  fought  with  the  same  stern  courage  as  on  the 
day  before,  and  still  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  they  were 
ready  for  the  conflict,  but  a  slight  skirmish  demonstrated 
the  fact  that  the  enemy  had  retired  froin  their  front,  and 
they  contented  themselves  with  capturing  a  large  number 
of  muskets  which  the  enemy  had  collected. 

The  Brigade  marched  all  night  of  May  7th,  and  the 
next  day  was  sent  again  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight.  The 
(Jth  was  spent  in  skmnishing  and  in  fortifying  a  position 
under  fire. 

On  the  10th,  three  regiments  of  the  Brigade,  under  the 
command  of  our  hero,  now  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Colonel, 
formed  part  of  a  column  ordered  to  charge  the  enemy's 
works.  The  Yermonters  were  the  rear  line  of  the  charging 
column.  The  front  lines  met  with  partial  success,  gaining 
the  works  and  capturing  some  prisoners,  but  were  finally 
driven  back  by  the  enemy. 

The  rear  line  then  advanced  under  a  galling  fire. 

w'  The  Old  Brigade  is  wanted  now  !"  cried  Lyon  to  his 
men.     "  Forward  !  and  take  those  works  and  hold  them." 

"  Take  your  baggage  with  you  ;  wre  go  to  stay,"  said 
Lieutenant  Joe  to  his  company. 

"  My  trunk  is  checked,"  put  in  Hank,  as  a  rousing 
cheer  rang  out  from  the  lines. 

Forward  they  plunged  with  a  resistless  energy.  Men 
fell,  but  the  column  moved  onward.  Nothing  but  death 
could  stop  them.  Over  the  works  they  sprang,  driving  out 
the  enemy  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  They  planted  their 
tattered  colors  there  and  greeted  them  with  hearty  cheers. 

But  they  were   not  allowed   to   hold  undisputed  pos- 


A   TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  115 

session  of  the  works.  The  enemy  made  desperate  attempts 
to  retake  them,  but  again  and  again  were  beaten  off  by  the 
obstinate  defenders  who  were  determined  to  hold  and 
occupy  what  they  had  won,  if  it  were  only  with  their  dead 
bodies. 

"  We've  moved  in  here  with  our  goods  and  shan't  move 
out  till  next  April,  unless  we've  a  mind  to,"  remarked  private 
Wait  to  the  hindmost  of  the  retreating  rebels,  who  had 
charged  the  ranks  in  vain. 

"  If  we  like  the  premises  and  pay  our  rent,  there's  no 
law  to  compel  us.  We're  a  quiet  family,  too,  if  you  let  us 
alone." 

The  position,  however,  was  judged  untenable  by  the 
general  in  command  of  the  movement,  and  orders  were 
sent  to  the  Vermonters  to  withdraw  from  the  ranks  and  fall 
back. 

"  Ridiculous  !"  muttered  private  Wait,  as  he  heard  the 
order,  but  speaking  to  a  soldier  on  his  right,  who  happened 
to  be  his  uncle,  Joseph  Dickinson. 

"  By  golly,  I  think  so,"  returned  the  uncle. 

"I  like  the  place,  uncle  Joseph,  and  I  am  going  to  stay 
here.  If  you  go,  you  can  tell  my  ma'am  and  Catherine, 
where  you  left  me." 

"  Can't  we  hold  it,  Colonel  ?"  inquired  Lieut.  Safford. 

"  We  are  doing  it  and  we  can,"  answered  Lyon. 

"  Then  don't  order  us  back." 

"  I  won't  if  I  can  help  it." 

"Tell  the  General,"  he  said  to  the  waiting  aid,  "that 
we  can  hold  the  works  for  six  months,  if  supplied  with 
rations  and  ammunition." 

Again  the  rebs  swept  up  to  regain  their  lost  works, 
and  again  a  withering  lire  of  musketry,  from  men  who 
wasted  few  bullets,  drove  them  back  in  disorder. 

But  soon  thereafter,  the  Vermonters,  in  obedience  to  a 
positive   order   from   the    General,    were  obliged  to  retire 


116  THE  NORWICH  CADETS! 

from  the  ground  they  had  so  bravely  won  and  obstinately 
held  on  to. 

The  next  morning,  Gen.  Grant  sent  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment the  following  dispatch : 

" Headquarters  in  the  Field,) 
May  11th,  1864—8  a.  m.       j 

We  have  now  ended  the  sixth  day  of  very  heavy  fight- 
ing.    The  result,  to  this  time,  is  much  in  our  favor. 

Our  losses  have  been  heavy  as  well  as  of  the  enemy. 
I  think  the  loss  of  the  enemy  must  be  greater. 

We  have  taken  over  5,000  prisoners  by  battle,  whilst  he 
has  taken  from  us  but  few,  except  stragglers. 

I  propose  to  fight  it  out  on  tliis  line,  if  it  takes  all 
summer. 

U.  S.  GKANT,  Lt.  Gen.  commanding 
the  Armies  of  the  U.  S." 

On  the  11th  day  of  May,  the  Brigade  was  constantly 
under  fire,  and  on  the  12  th  it  was  ordered  to  support  Han- 
cock, and  was  engaged  in  one  of  the  hardest  fights  which  it 
had  yet  experienced.  The  Brigade  was  under  the  command 
of  Gen.  Lewis  A.  Grant.  A  breastwork  of  logs  and  rails 
only  separated  it  from  the  enemy. 

The  combatants  fired  into  each  other's  faces,  and  fought 
with  clubbed  muskets  and  even  pieces  of  fence  rails,  in  a 
hand-to-hand  struggle  as  they  alternately  made  or  repelled 
assaults. 

Crouching  down  behind  the  breastworks,  they  would 
load,  and  then  rising  quickly,  discharge  their  muskets  at  the 
enemy  and  fall  'down  again  as  quickly  to  the  ground. 

Hank,  who  was  fighting  on  his  own  hook,  rose  to  fire 
just  as  a  squad  of  the  enemy  rose  for  the  same  purpose. 
Ducking  suddenly  as  he  saw  the  position,  their  bullets  went 
over  his  head. 

"You're  immensely  careless,"  he  exclaimed  reproach- 
fully, as  he  quickly  rose  again  and  sent  his  bullet  through 
the  shoulder  of  a  dropping  rebel. 


A    TALE    OF    THE    EEBELLION.  117 

A  yell  of  pain  attested  the  effect  of  his  shot. 

A  reinforcement  of  the  enemy  came  up  now,  and,  with 
frightful  yells,  they  mounted  the  breastwork,  some  of  them 
even  jumping  down  on  to  our  side,  in  the  attempt  to  dis- 
lodge the  Old  Brigade. 

"  Drive  them  back !"  cried  Lyon,  as  he  himself  set  an 
example  to  his  men. 

Screams,  shouts  and  groans  made  an  indescribable 
tumult  as  North  met  South  in  a  trial  of  physical  strength. 

Those  whose  pieces  were  loaded  fired  them  in  the  faces 
of  the  assailants  and  then  turned  them  end  for  end,  dealing 
their  blows  right  and  left.  Swords  and  bayonets  met  as 
officers  and  men  mingled  in  an  indiscriminate  combat. 
Clubs  were  wielded  with  the  dexterity  of  those  whose 
favorite  weapon  is  a  stick  of  blackthorn. 

Lieut.  Joe,  seizing  a  long  rail  in  his  hands,  swung  it 
around  with  such  tremendous  force  that  he  swept  a  rank  of 
rebels  from  the  breastwork,  like  so  many  chickens  from  a 
hen-roost. 

"  That's  Uncle  Abe's  weapon  "  said  Hank  ;  "  swinging 
it  once  more,  and  the  battle  is  over." 

"  If  your  rail  had  been  a  little  longer,  Lieutenant,"  said 
Lyon,  "you  would  have  knocked  the  brains  out  of  the 
whole  Confederacy." 

Those  of  the  enemy  who  had  got  over  the  breastwork 
were  made  prisoners.  Those  on  the  works  jumped  back  to 
their  own  side. 

"  After  them !"  shouted  Lyon,  springing  upon  the 
breastwork,  followed  by  his  men. 

"  It's  no  more  than  polite  to  return  their  call,"  said 
Hank,  as  he  leaped  down  among  his  late  guests. 

The  rebels  by  scores  threw  down  their  arms  and  sur- 
rendered themselves. 

With  their  prisoners,  the  Vermonters  retreated  to  their 
own  side  of  the  log  fence  just  in  time  to  escape  from,  and 


118  THE    NORWICH    CADETS 

be  ready  to  meet,  another  flood  of  Southern  chivalry,  which 
was  dashed  up  against  the  works  they  defended. 

Occasionally  a  white  flag  was  shown  on  the  other  side, 
and  as  our  fire  slackened  the  confederates  swarmed  over 
and  voluntarily  gave  themselves  up. 

But  others  were  led  up  to  take  their  places,  and  the 
contest  was  continued.  Thus  for  eight  hours  the  Brigade 
was  engaged,  and  not  without  loss,  though  it  inflicted 
greater  loss  on  the  enemy. 

Lyon's  coat  was  perforated  by  balls,  but  he  received  no 
wound.  Hank  had  the  heel  shot  off  his  boot  as  he  stood  on 
the  breastwork.  Lieut.  Saftord  was  carried  to  the  rear, 
wounded. 

Late  in  the  day,  Col.  Lyon  thought  he  saw  an  op- 
portunity, by  a  sudden  charge,  in  force,  of  capturing  a  large 
number  of  the  enemy.  The  word  was  accordingly  passed 
along,  weapons  were  prepared  and  at  a  given  signal  the 
Vermonters  poured  once  more  over  the  breastwork  like  a 
spring-freshet  over,  the  dam  across  a  mountain  stream.  The 
movement  was  highly  successful  at  first.  The  enemy 
yielded  before  the  impetuous  assault,  large  numbers  were 
captured  and  hurried  to  the  Union  side  of  the  fence  ;  but 
our  friends  were  not  to  escape  with  impunity. 

Two  rebel  regiments  came  to  the  rescue  of  their  friends 
and  charged  our  troops  in  turn,  forcing  them  back  in  spite 
of  their  best  efforts  It  was  the  fiercest  encounter  of  the 
day. 

Lyon  gave  the  order  to  retire,  but  fought  himself  in  the 
the  rear  of  his  retreating  command  to  enable  it  to  do  so  in 
good  order.  The  enemy  pressed  closer  and  at  length  broke 
our  line.  There  was  a  confused  struggle  for  a  moment — a 
discharge  of  small  arms  at  close  quarters,  and  Lyon  throw- 
ing up  his  hands  wildly,  cried  out — 
"I  have  got  it!" 
He  fell  senseless  to  the  ground.     There  was  a  rush  of 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  119 

the  enemy  over  his  motionless  body,  and  his  men  were 
driven  over  the  breakworks.  There  they  halted  and  held  their 
own,  but  they  were  not  able  to  regain  the  ground  they  had 
left  nor  recover  the  body  of  their  commander. 

Till  after  dark  the  Brigade  defended  the  position,  but 
there  were  many  sad  hearts  at  the  loss  of  Lyon.  In  the 
evening  the  men  were  marched  around,  feeling  their  way 
through  the  dense  woods  to  the  extreme  right,  where  they 
took  position  for  the  night. 

Dr.  Safford,  as  soon  as  he  found  time,  sought  out 
private  Wait  to  inquire  after  the  colonel. 

"  You  think  he  was  killed,  do  you  Hank  V 

"Yes,  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  replied  Hank  with  a 
tremor  in  his  voice.  "  I  stood  close  beside  him  ;  a  pistol 
bullet  from  a  rebel  captain,  who  won't  ever  shoot  another 
Yankee,  struck  him  in  the  breast  and  he  fell  as  I've  seen 
many  a  dead  man  fall." 

"  Didn't  move  or  speak  again  ?" 

"  No  ;  but  of  course  I  didn't  stay  there  long  ;  we  were 
driven  back  in  a  hurry,  you  know." 

"  He  is  probably  dead,"  said  the  doctor,  with  a  sigh. 
"  The  only  wonder  is  that  he  was  not  killed  long  ago.  So 
reckless  of  danger  has  he  been." 

For  the  next  three  days  the  Brigade  was  not  engaged. 

Caesar's  grief  was  inconsolable  when  he  heard  of  Col. 
Lyon's  death.  He  felt  that  his  mission  was  accomplished, 
and  he  would  gladly  have  returned  to  his  mistress  if  he  had 
known  of  any  safe  way  of  doing  so.  Under  the  exciting 
circumstances,  he  determined  to  write,  trusting  to  chance 
to  forward  his  communication.  After  spending  the  most  of 
one  day  on  his  epistle,  he  submitted  it  to  Hank  to  whom 
he  had  attached  himself  after  the  loss  of  his  master.  It  was 
written  phonetically,  or  as  Hank  said,  niggeretically  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Mi  deer  missis — ize  bery  sory  to  tel  yer  de  bad  nuze 


120  THE  NORWICH  cadets: 

specs  yer  wanter  heer  do  massa  wilyum  dura  got  kotched  bi 
de  yankis  i  found  him  mos  ded  an  nust  him  till  he  conwales- 
sentid  an  went  bac  to  our  side  to  kil  hisself  ober  agin  mass 
liun  was  kild  2  free  times  fitiall  de  time  neber  seed  de  likes 
an  now  heze  ded  mis  heloeze  ize  fraid  i  neber  get  outer  dis 
don't  kotch  me  in  anoder  scrap  whar  bullets  is  mity  site  mor 
plenty  dan  hokakes  hopin  yer  wel  ize  mos  superrlewously 
yer  distingwisht  and  obejunt  suiwant.  Seezur." 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  letter,  which  Hank  under- 
took to  deliver  in  order  to  satisfy  the  writer  and  which  he 
fastened  to  a  tree,  was  afterwards  found  by  Col.  Wolfe  and 
forwarded  to  its  destination. 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  121 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

FROM  THE  WILDERNESS  TO  COLD  HARBOR — IN  THE  SHENANDOAH 

VALLEY RETURN  TO  PETERSBURG THE  CAMPAIGN  OF    18G5 

THE  OLD  BRIGADE  MAKES  A  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END 

CAPTURE  OF  PETERSBURG  AND  RICHMOND LEE's  RETREAT 

COL.  WOLFE  A  PRISONER THE  LAST  CHARGE  OF  THE  CON- 
FEDERACY  LEE'S  SURRENDER THE  UNION  SAVED. 

N  the  16th  operations  were  renewed  by  a  recon- 
noisance  in  the  direction  of  Spotsylvania  Court 
House,  a  part'  of  the  Brigade  gallantly  driving 
the  enemy's  skirmishers  to  their  main  line  of 
works.  On  the  18th  the  Vermonters  with  the 
rest  of  the  6th  corps  and  the  2d  corps  charged 
under  heavy  artillery  fire  and  held  the  front  line 
until  ordered  to  retire. 
From  Spottsylvania  the  Brigade  marched  on  the  night 
of  the  21st  to  Guinea's  Station,  thence  to  the  North  Anna 
River,  which  they  crossed  and  re-crossed,  skirmishing  with  the 
enemy  and  tearing  up  the  railroad.  On  the  27th  it  crossed 
the  Pamunkey  River.  On  the  29th  it  turned  toward  Rich- 
mond, being  almost  every  day  engaged  either  in  marching 
or  fighting,  and  on  the  first  of  June  the  gallant  remnant  of 
the  old  Brigade  arrived  at  Cold  Harbor,  its  total  losses 
during  this  bloody  month  of  May,  from  the  Rapidan  to  Cold 
Harbor,  footing  up  nearly  2,000  men. 


122  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

But  neither  their  toils  nor  their  dangers  were  over.  As 
soon  as  they  arrived  they  were  thrown  into  battle  on  the 
extreme  left,  towards  the  Chickahominy,  and  for  twelve 
days  they  were  under  an  incessant  fire  of  musketry  and 
artillery.  On  the  3d  of  June  they  were  posted  in  the  edge 
ef  the  woods,  with  no  protection  but  the  trees,  and  kept  up 
a  sort  of  Indian  warfare  for  a  while. 

With  the  Yermonters  here  was  Col.  E wart's  regiment 
and  that  of  Maj.  Staples.  These  two  officers,  thus  brought 
together,  recognized  each  other  and  renewed  their  former 
acquaintance.  Merritt  (now  Major)  was  in  command  of  his 
regiment,  and  he  with  Dr.  Safford  and  private  Wait  made 
all  of  our  old  friends  still  left  in  arms. 

As  the  muskets  cracked  and  men  fell  here  and  there, 
or  the  bark  flew  from  the  trees,  without  any  material  ad- 
vantage being  gained  by  either  side,  E  warts  began  to  chafe 
at  the  desultory  fighting,  and  expressed  his  preference  for 
sharper  and  closer  work. 

"  Go  out  Colonel,  alone,  like  Goliah  "  said  Staples  and 
dare  the  rebel  host  to  battle,  as  you  did  once  on  a  time 
the  Dartmouth  boys." 

"  I  should  rather  go  out  to  meet  their  Goliah,"  returned 
the  Colonel ;  "  I  think  I  should  like  that  better  than  biding 
here  behind  a  tree." 

"  I  pity  the  giant's  coat,  if  you  get  hold  of  him." 

"  We  will  soon  strip  the  coat  from  the  whole  Con- 
federacy, and  show  the  world  what  a  skeleton  it  is." 

In  another  quarter  Hank  was  alternately  firing  and 
talking  with  the  utmost  rapidity,  and  if  his  words  failed  to 
hit  the  mark  his  bullets  were  better  aimed. 

"  I  never  saw  such  an  unreasonable  set  as  those  rebels, 
did  you,  Uncle  Joseph  Vs  inquired  Hank  of  his  relative,  who 
stood  behind  the  nearest  tree. 

"  No,  nephew,  I  didn't — least-ways  I  disremember  -to." 

"  No  argument  but  lead  is  heavy  enough  to  convince 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  123 

them,"  continued  Hank,  discharging  his  piece  with  evident 

effect. 

"  Now,  I've  been  nearly  three  years,"  he  said,  loading- 
as  lie  spoke,  "  trying  to  persuade  these  fellows  to  support 
bur  good  government.  I've  stopped  some  of  them  from 
opposing  it — " 

Here  he  fired  again  with  effect,  by  way  of  parenthesis, 
and  immediately  proceeded  to  reload. 

"  But  those  that  are  left  are  just  as  unreasonable  as 
ever.  They  act  like  a  country  district  school  meeting,  which 
always  goes  to  work  to  defeat  what  it  pretends  to  want." 
Here  he  fired  again. 

u  They  say  they  want  a  good  government,  and  here 
they  are  trying  to  tear  down  the  best  government  that  ever 
existed." 

"  Exactly,"  assented  Uncle  Joseph. 
"I  don't  know  of  any  other  way  of  doing  it  except 
this"— and  here  he  fired  twice  in  succession  without  speak- 
ing. This  method  of  argument  was  certainly  forcible.  It 
made  some  impression,  and  was  the  only  one  likely  to  be 
appreciated  by  his  opponents. 

The  Brigade  was  finally  withdrawn  from  this  position 
and  sent  to  another  part  of  the  field. 

About  midnight  on  the  night  of  the  12th,  the  Brigade 
started  on  the  march  for  Petersburg  by  the  way  of  Charles 
City  Court  House,  and  arrived  there  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
17th. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  detail  minutely  the  operations 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  or  even  all  those  in  which  the 
Brigade  was  specially  engaged.  We  shall  note  only  the 
more  remarkable  and  memorable  events,  and  those  in  which 
our  characters  were  concerned. 

The  Brigade  was  actively  employed  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Petersburg  till  the  9th  of  July,  when  it  embarked  at 
City  point   for  Washington,  and  during  the  remainder  of 


124  THE  NORWICH  CADETS! 

the  summer  and  fall  served  against  the  rebel  marauders  and 
other  forces  scattered  through  northern  Virginia.  To  it  be- 
longed the  honor  of  victoriously  beginning  "  the  series  of 
splendid  movements  and  successive  battles  which  drove  the 
rebel  forces  from  the  Valley  of  Shenandoah." 

The  times  of  enlistment  of  most  of  the  regiments  ex- 
pired in  July,  but  many  men  re-enlisted  and  these  with  new 
recruits  kept  up  the  organizations. 

Meanwhile,  Grant  kept  hammering  away  persistently 
at  Petersburg,  and  striking  at  Lee's  army  wherever  and 
whenever  he  could  hit  it,  while  Sheridan  was  running 
amuck  through  the  Valley,  hitting  at  every  organized  form 
of  rebellion,  and  devastating  the  country  so  that  it  might 
not  again  attract  the  enemy  into  it. 

The  campaign  of  1864  ended  the  latter  part  of  October 
with  the  battle  of  Boyden  Plank  Eoad,  brought  on  by  a 
general  advance  of  Grant's  forces,  and  with  Sheridan's  bril- 
liant snatching  of  victory  from  defeat  after  his  twenty  mile 
ride  from  Winchester.  The  Old  Brigade  was  with  him  and 
gained  new  laurels  in  that  double  battle. 

The  winter  passed  away  without  any  movement  of  im- 
portance in  Virginia.  Grant  was  content  to  hold  Lee's  army 
in  his  neighborhood  and  prevent  it  from  operating  else- 
where. There  were  a  few  rebel  raids  in  northern  Virginia 
but  they  were  of  little  consequence  and  had  no  appreciable 
effect  upon  the  result  of  the  war.  The  Old  Brigade  re- 
turned to  the  army  in  front  of  Petersburg  about  the  middle 
of  December  and  went  into  winter  quarters. 

Gen.  Sheridan,  acting  under  the  command  of  Gen. 
Grant,  opened  the  campaign  of  1865  by  a  cavalry  raid 
aimed  at  Lynchburg.  He  left  Winchester  Feb.  27th  with 
10,000  mounted  men.  Hurling  himself  against  the  rebel 
Gen.  Early,  intrenched  at  Waynesboro,  he  gained  a 
complete  victory,  leaving  little  of  Early's  force  except 
Early   himself.     The    First    Regiment     Vermont    Cavalry 


A   TALE   OP   THE   REBELLION.  125 

formed  a  part  of  Sheridan's  force  and  participated  in  tha 
dangers  and  glories  of  the  expedition. 

Grant  issued  his  order  for  a  general  advance  of  his  left, 
the  latter  part  of  March,  and  on  the  29th,  the  5th  and  2d 
corps  moved  out  southwesterly  to  co-operate  with  Sheridan, 
who,  coming  down  the  valley,  had  now  arrived  at  the  grand 
scene  of  action  where  the  final  struggle  of  the  Rebellion 
was  to  be  made. 

The  main  body  of  the  army  still  remained  in  the 
trenches  before  Petersburg  to  bombard  or  assault  the  town 
and  ready  to  enter  it  upon  its  evacuation  by  the  enemy, 
while  Gen.  Weifezel  threatened  Richmond  with  a  consider- 
able force  from  the  north  of  the  James. 

On  Saturday,  April  1st,  Lee's  right  wing  was  de- 
molished, and  as  darkness  fell,  the  guns  before  Petersburg 
opened  from  right  to  left,  and  with  tongues  of  fire  thundered 
forth  the  doom  of  the  beseiged  city. 

At  daybreak  on  Sunday  morning  an  assault  was 
ordered.  The  Vermont  Brigade,  with  the  Sixth  Corps  un- 
der Wright,  charged  and  drove  everything  before  them  up 
to  the  Boyden  road.  Wheeling  to  the  left,  toward  Hatcher's 
Run,  they  swept  down  the  rear  of  the  rebel  intrenchments, 
capturing  many  guns  and  several  thousand  prisoners. 

The  honor  of  being  the  first  to  break  the  enemy's  line 
is  claimed  by  the  Vermont  Brigade.  The  first  colors  planted 
on  the  works  belonged  to  the  Brigade,  and  the  first  man  to 
mount  the  works  was  Capt.  Gould,  of  the  Fifth  regiment. 

Gen.  L.  A.  Grant  was  wounded,  and  the  command 
of  the  Brigade  devolved  on  Lieut.-Colonel  Tracy  of  the 
Second  regiment. 

The  enemy  broke  and  fled  in  every  direction.  The 
Brigade  lost  all  organization  in  the  ardor  of  pursuit. 
Officers  and  men  vied  with  each  other  in  a  four  mile  race 
after  the  fugitive  rebels. 

"My  kingdom  for  a  horse  !"  cried  Hank,  as  he  panted 


126  THfi    UOfcWlCH  CARETS! 

along.  "  I  never  before  fully  appreciated  the  convenience 
of  long  legs  and  a  spare  body.  These  fellows  run  like 
hounds." 

And  you  like  a  turtle,"  said  Maj.  Merritt,  as  he  dashed 
past. 

Gen.  Meade  speaks  of  this  attack  of  the  Sixth  Corps, 
as  "  the  decisive  movement  of  the  canrpaign." 

President  Davis,  in  Richmond,  was  at  church  that 
morning  when  the  dispatch  from  Gen.  Lee  was  handed  to 
him  : 

"  My  lines  are  broken  in  three  places.  Richmond  must 
be  evacuated  this  evening." 

Petersburg  was  evacuated  that  afternoon  and  Richmond 
the  next  morning. 

Sunday  evening  the  Brigade  established  its  head- 
quarters at  the  Turnbull  House,  where  Gen.  Lee  had  had 
his  headquarters  during  the  winter. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  Old  Brigade,  with  the  Sixth 
Corps,  started  in  rapid  pursuit  of  the  rebel  army,  which 
was  now  intent  only  on  getting  away. 

Gen.  Weitzel  at  6  A.  M.,  of  the  same  day,  entered  the 
burning  city  of  Richmond,  which  had  been  set  on  fire  by 
the  retreating  rebels,  and  the  American  flag  soon  floated 
once  more  in  the  breeze  above  the  Capitol  of  Virginia,  and 
was  greeted  with  enthusiastic  cheers  by  the  excited 
multitude  below. 

Petersburg  was  occupied  the  same  day  by  our  troops, 
who  marched  proudly  and  unopposed  into  the  city  they  had 
struggled  for  so  long. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  6th  the  sixth  corps  came  up 
with  the  enemy  at  Sailor's  Creek  and  an  engagement 
ensued.  A  portion  of  Sheridan's  cavalry,  by  a  bold  charge,  cut 
off  the  rebel  Gen.  Ewell's  corps  from  the  rest  of  Lee's  army 
and  inclosed  it  between  them  and  the  advancing  6th  corps. 
The  trapped  Confederates  fought  with  the  courage  of  des- 


A  TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  127 

peration,  but  they  fought  without  a  chance  of  victory  or 
escape. 

Gol.  Wolfe  with  his  regiment  found  himself  between  the 
jaws  of  the  Union  vise  and  dashed  into  the  fight  with  all 
the  recklessness  of  his  nature. 

"  Death,  but  not  surrender  !  Georgians,  follow  me !" 
he  cried,  and  rushed  forward  to  meet  the  stern  charge  of 
our  Sixth  Corps. 

But  the  Confederates  were  discouraged  by  the  hopeless 
nature  of  their  situation,  and  threw  down  their  arms  and 
surrendered.  Ewell  himself,  with  four  other  generals,  were 
among  the  6,000  prisoners  taken  this  day.  Col.  Wolfe  was 
captured,  foaming  with  rage  at  what  he  called  the  cowardice 
of  his  men.  He  was  courteously  received  by  Major  Merritt, 
and  soon  meeting  with  several  former  Mends,  among  whom 
were  Staples  and  Ewarts,  and  finding  Caesar  overjoyed  to 
see  him  again  alive  and  unhurt,  he  seemed  to  grow  recon- 
ciled to  his  fate  and  to  that  of  the  Confederacy. 

'•Ize  mighty  glad  to  see  you  Massa  William  "  said  the 
faithful  black  with  tears  in  his  eyes.  "  I  neber  let  you 
leabe  me  agin.  Ize  yer  nigga  and  does't  want  no  freedom. 
Massa  Linkum's  mancerpation  no  use  to  Ceesar." 

On  the  night  of  April  5th,  many  prominent  rebel 
officers  met  around  a  bivouac  fire  to  discuss  the  situation, 
and  unanimously  agreed  that  a  capitulation  was  inevitable. 
Lee  was  not  present,  but  his  opinion  must  have  coincided 
with  theirs,  for  during  the  7th  and  8th,  though  making 
every  effort  to  escape  the  toils  of  his  foe,  he  was  engaged  in 
a  correspondence  with  Grant  looking  towards  a  surrender 
of  his  army. 

On  the  morning  of  Sunday  the  9th,  however,  the  rebel 
chief  thought  he  saw  one  remaining  chance  and  determined 
to  improve  it.  Sheridan  had  intercepted  his  flight  and 
presuming  that  his  way  was  blocked  by  cavalry  alone,  he 
ordered  a  charge  of  infantry.     It  was  made  and  it  proved 


128  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

the  last  charge  of  that  gallant  army,  which  had  fought,  with 
a  courage  seldom  surpassed,  from  the  time  of  the  first  Bull 
Run  till  then,  when  a  mere  wreck  of  its  former  self,  it  was 
surrounded  by  foes  in  overwhelming  numbers. 

Sheridan's  dismounted  troopers  retired  slowly  before 
their  advance  for  a  while,  but  suddenly  "  the  horsemen 
moved  swiftly  to  the  right  and  dismounted,  revealing  lines  of 
solid  infantry  in  battle  array,  before  whose  wall  of  gleam- 
ing bayonets  the  astonished  enemy  recoiled  in  blank 
despair."  Before  our  cavalry  had  time  to  charge  them  the 
Confederates  waved  a  white  flag  and  hostilities  were  at 
once  suspended. 

That  day,  Lee  surrendered  his  army  of  about  27,000, 
where  its  flight  had  been  stopped,  about  nineteen  miles 
from  Lynchburg.  For  this  purpose,  Grant  and  Lee  met  at 
the  house  of  Mr.-  W.  McLean,  near  Appomattox  Court 
House,  and  in  a  brief  interview  settled  the  terms  of  sur- 
render. 

The  rebellion  wras  virtually  ended,  though  not  for  some 
weeks  after  did  Johnston  surrender  to  Sherman,  and  the 
other  rebel  armies  disband  or  surrender.  As  the  glad 
tidings  spread  with  the  speed  of  lightning  over  the  loyal 
North,  rejoicings  were  every wrhere  indulged  in  that  the 
blood  and  treasure  had  not  been  spent  in  vain,  but 
had  purchased  this  glorious  result — the  Union  saved  and 
Liberty  preserved ! 


A  TALE  OF  THE  REBELLION.  129 


CHAPTER    XI  V . 

COL.     WOLFE   PAROLED     AND    WITH    CESAR    SETS    OUT    FOR    HOME 

SPIRITUAL   RECONSTRUCTION A  HAPPY  MEETING  AND  SURPRISE 

CAESAR    SEES    A    GHOST AN    EXPLANATION COL.    LYON    RE- 
JOINS THE    BRIGADE HOMEWARD    MARCH    AND    MUSTER  OUT 

UNION  BY  MARRIAGE LAW  FIRM  OF  LYON  AND  WOLFE. 

H  E  Vermont  Brigade  was  at  Farmville,  guard- 
ing supplies,  at  the  time  of  Lee's  surrender. 
From  there  they  marched  to  Burkesyille 
Junction  where  they  remained  two  weeks,  and 
here  Col.  Wolfe,  having  been  paroled,  took 
leave  of  the  Yermonters  and,  taking  Caesar  with 
him,  set  out  for  home,  or  rather  towards  the 
place  where  he  expected  to  find  his  sister. 

A  long  time  previous  to  Lee's  surrender  he 
had  foreseen  that  Richmond  was  not  likely  to  continue  a 
desirable  place  of  residence,  and  probably  not  a  safe  one, 
and  he  had  cordially  seconded  his  sister's  plan  to  take  up 
her  abode  with  an  aunt  living  in  a  retired  part  of  the  state, 
remote  from  railroads  and  routes  likely  to  be  pursued  by 
hostile  parties.  Here  Heloise  had  quietly  remained  during 
the  past  year,  and  all  the  more  contentedly  because  her 
aunt,  a  widow  ladxy,  was  of  her  way  of  thinking  in  regard  to 
Q 


130  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

the  merits  of  secession.  Twice  her  brother  had  visited  her. 
and  she  was  never  a  very  long  time  without  hearing  from 
him. 

Procuring  a  couple  of  horses,  the  Colonel  and  Caesar 
started  on  their  journey,  and  as  they  passed  by  the  evidences 
that  the  Confederacy  was  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  the  cause 
a  "  lost  cause  "  indeed,  Wolfe  reviewed  in  his  mind  the  his- 
tory of  the  last  four  years,  and  found  reason  to  regret  the  part 
which  he,  in  company  with  others,  had  taken  in  the  effort 
to  dismember  the  American  republic.  His  secession  fever 
was  rapidly  abating,  and  as  his  eyes  met  here  and  there  the 
old  flag  of  the  Union,  floating  like  sections  of  sunset  cloud 
in  the  air,  his  heart  swelled  with  an  irrepressible  feeling  of 
pride  that  it  was  the  flag  of  his  country,  and  he  experienced 
a  sense  of  joy  that  his  arm  was  free  once  more  to  battle  be- 
neath its  folds  and  for  its  glory.  In  spirit  he  was  "  recon- 
structed." 

The  two  proceeded  at  good  pace  for  most  of  the  time, 
for  they  had  a  long  ride  before  them  ;  but  occasionally  they 
slackened  their  speed,  and  master  and  servant  (in  reality 
free  and  equal  fellow-citizens  as  Wolfe  could  not  help  re- 
membering) fell  into  conversation  to  relieve  the  monotony 
of  the  way. 

••  Well,  Ccesar,  how  do  you  like  the  Yankees  I  You 
ought  to  know  something  about  them  by  this  time." 

"  Berry  well,  massa,  if  you  do — jes'  as  you  say." 

i;  Were  they  kind  to  you  :" 

"  Treated  me  like  a  brodder." 

k-  Was  Col.  Lyon  a  good  master  V 

"  Next  to  you,  massa  William.  He  neber  let  no  harm 
come  to  Cfesar  till  he  got  killed." 

"  He  is  dead,  then,  is  he  ?"  said  Wolfe  with  a  strange 
expression  of  face,  which  his  sable  attendant  could  not  read. 

"  Yis,  massa  ;  shot  right  froo  de  heart,  dey  said.  I 
werren't  dere." 


A~TALE  OP  THE  REBELLION.  131 

"  No,  I'll  warrant  you.  No  danger  of  you  ever  being 
shot,  CeBsar." 

"  Hope's  not,  massa." 

They  rode  on  again  in  silence,  Wolfe  evidently  being 
busy  with  his  own  thoughts,  and  Caesar  knowing  better 
than  to  speak  when  not  spoken  to. 

At  noon  they  stopped  at  a  little  tavern  and  refreshed 
themselves  and  horses,  after  which  they  pushed  on  again. 
At  nightfall  they  had  not  reached  their  destination,  but 
Wolfe  was  familiar  with  the  road  and  he  kept  on. 

About  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  they  saw  before  them 
the  glimmering  lights  of  a  mansion  house,  situated  in  a  re- 
tired locality  several  miles  distant  from  any  habitation. 
Urging  their  tired  steeds  to  a  slight  increase  of  speed,  they 
soon  rode  up  to  and  dismounted  at  the  door. 

A  swarm  of  negroes,  lately  enfranchised,  but  ignorant 
of  the  fact,  quickly  surrounded  them  and  took  their  horses, 
while  they  gave  the  Colonel,  as  soon  as  they  recognized 
him,  an  affectionate  welcome. 

A  medley  of  voices  and  expressions  greeted  his  ear  : 

M  Berry  glad,  sah — " 

•;  Se,  yer  all  alibe  again,  sah — " 

"  Hopes  yer  well  massa  Colonel — " 

"  Young  missus  be  delighted — "  . 

•*Dis  way,  massa — " 

"  I  tells  de  missis.'' 

But  there  was  no  need  of  any  announcement.  The 
uproar  outside  brought  the  inmates  of  the  mansion  out  on 
the  veranda  and  Wolfe  was  soon  shaking  hands  with  his 
aunt,  his  sister,  and  a  pale  gentleman  in  civilian's  dress. 

"  How  are  you  Tom — getting  stronger  !"  he  said  to  the 
latter. 

"  Yes,  I  am ;  but  what  brings  you  here  at  this  time  V 
replied  the  gentleman. 


132  THE  NORWICH  CADETS: 

"  I'll  tell  you  soon,  but  come  in  now  ;  I  have  a  surprise 
in  store." 

"  Here,  Caesar,  I  want  you,"  he  called,  and  that  person 
soon  apjDeared  and  followed  his  master  into  the  house. 

As  the  door  closed  and  Caesar  stood  cap  in  hand  wait- 
ing for  orders,  the  strange  gentleman  turned  and  looked 
earnestly  at  him. 

Caesar  returned  the  look  with  interest.  His  eyes 
seemed  starting  from  his  head,  while  his  teeth  chattered 
audibly. 

The  gentleman  smiled  and  advanced  towards  him  say- 
ing— 

"  How  are  you,  Caesar  T 

As  Caesar  saw  him  approaching,  he  dashed  for  the  door 
screaming — 

"  Lemme  out !  lemme  out !" 

But  his  master  stood  with  his  back  to  the  door  laugh- 
ing at  the  poor  fellow's  fright. 

';  Do  you  think  me  a  ghost,  Caesar  f"  inquired  the  ob- 
ject of  his  terror. 

"  I  knows  you's  dead,  massa  Lyon,  dey  all  said  so." 

While  the}r  enjoyed  a  laugh  at  this  reply,  Caesar  re- 
gained his  self-possession,  and  was  finally  convinced  of  his 
mistake.  — 

"  I  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  I  am  still  alive  and 
likely  soon  to  be  well,"  said  Col.  Lyon,  for  it  was  indeed  he. 

And  now  some  explanation  is  due  the  reader  as  well  as 
Caesar. 

In  the  fight  on  the  rebel  side  of  the  log-breastwork  in 
the  Wilderness,  Hank  Wait  supposed  and  reported  that 
Lyon  fell  dead,  or  at  least  mortally  wrounded.  But  such 
was  not  the  fact.  The  next  morning,  Col.  Wolfe,  who  was 
always  on  the  lookout  for  his  Mend,  and  wTho  never  passed 
a  dead  or  wounded  Federal  officer  without  a  searching  look, 
found  Lyon  on  the  field  desperately  wounded  and  had  him 


A    TALE    OF    THE   BEBELLION.  133 

carefully  conveyed  to  a  place  of  safety.  Knowing  that  if 
his  friend  was  consigned  to  the  mercy  of  the  Confederacy 
and  sent  to  Andersonville,  or  any  other  prison  pen,  he  would 
surely  die,  and  that  nothing  but  the  most  tender  care  and 
nursing  could  save  his  life,  he  determined  to  exercise  him- 
self a  little  soverign  authority  in  the  behalf  of  friendship. 
Accordingly,  as  soon  as  Lyon  was  able  to  stand  the  journey, 
he  dispatched  him  with  two  faithful  servants  to  the  quiet 
residence  of  his  aunt,  feeling  confident  that  kind  lady  and 
good  Union  woman  and  his  sister  Heloise  would  do 
their  utmost  for  the  wounded  officer. 

The  event  proved  that  he  was  not  mistaken.  Our 
hero,  who  was  in  a  very  critical  situation  for  several  months, 
was  cared  for  with  the  greatest  solicitude,  and  nothing 
that  could  minister  to  his  comfort  or  contribute  to  his  re- 
covery was  lacking.  After  he  began  to  gain  he  was  pro- 
vided with  a  suit  of  plain  clothes,  his  Federal  uniform  being 
put  out  of  sight,  and  the  servants  and  others  were  given  to 
understand  that  he  was  a  relative  of  the  family  from  another 
southern  State,  who  had  come  there  for  the  improvement  of 
his  health. 

His  convalescence  was  slow,  but  could  not  fail  to  be 
pleasant,  for  beside  the  pleasure  of  feeling  that  his  former 
strength  was  gradually  returning,  his  days  were  spent  in 
the  society  of  her  who,  by  her  tireless  devotion,  had  done  so 
much  to  bring  him  back  to  life. 

As  the  pleasant  days  of  spring  arrived  to  clothe  the 
earth  with  verdure,  and  he.  was  able  to  walk  and  ride  with 
her,  he  felt  a  certain  degree  of  that  insanity  which  led  Marc 
Antony  to  sell  his  glory  for  the  smiles  of  woman.  Never- 
theless, he  frequently  yearned  to  return  to  the  field  of  con- 
flict, even  before  his  health  was  sufficiently  restored  to 
render  him  fit  to  endure  the  hardships  of  active  service. 
But  his  honor  was  pledged  to  Wolfe  that  he  would  not  at- 
tempt to   escape,  and   he  therefore   waited   till  his  friend 


1 34  THE    NORWICH^CADETS  \ 

should  release  ,him  from  his  promise,  or  he  should  be  ex- 
changed. 

After  Caesar  had  satisfied  himself  of  the  reality  of 
Lyon's  existence  in  the  flesh,  and  had  expressed  his  great 
joy  thereat,  he  was  allowed  to  retire,  and  then  Lyon  in- 
quired of  his  friend  the  cause  of  his  unexpected  visit. 

"  I  come  to  tell  you.  Tom,  that  you  are  no  longer  my 
prisoner,  but  are  at  liberty  to  take  up  your  line  of  march  in 
whatever  direction  you  please." — 

"  Thank  you  ;  but  why — " 

"  The  Confederacy  is  dead !  Lee  has  surrendered ! 
Richmond  is  taken !  the  war  is  ended  ! 

"  Oh !  what  happy  news  !"  said  Heloise,  while  tears 
glistened  in  her  eyes." 

"  Thank  God !"  exclaimed  the  old  lady  w  that  this  cruel 
and  wicked  strife  is  over." 

Lyon  was  at  first  too  much  surprised  to  speak,  and 
when  he  found  ability  to  speak,  he  hesitated  to  express  the 
joy  and  triumph  which  he  felt,  out  of  regard  to  the  possible 
feelings  of  his  friend.     Wolfe  saw  this  and  said  : 

"  You  may  indulge  yourself  in  three  cheers  if  you  like  : 
I  don't  feel  so  badly  as  you  doubtless  think." 

"  I  am  certainly  pleased  "  said  Lyon  :  "  I  am  surprised 
too,  at  the  sudden  c  jmpleteness  of  the  Union  triumph, 
though  the  end  is  what  I  have  always  expect e  1." 

"  Your  chief  regret  is  that  you  were  not  in  at  the  death. 
You  meant  to  charge  the  '  last  ditch  '  in  which  the  hunted 
Confederacy  should  ensconce  itself.  I  know  the  naughti- 
ness of  your  heart,  Tom." 

"  Whatever  my  wishes,  I  was  not  there,"  replied  Lyon, 
"  but  I  suppose  Vermont  was  represented." 

"  Yes,  I  left  your  Vermont  heroes  this  morning  at 
Burkesville  Junction." 

"  And  there  I  must  join  them." 

In  spite  of  the  urgent  requests  to  remain,  Lyon 
determined  to  set  out  the  next  day.  Before  he  retired  that 
night,  however,  he  won  the  consent  of  Heloise  that  he  might 
soon  return  to  claim  her  as  his  own. 

Next  morning,  after  an  affectionate  farewell  to  all,  he 
started,  being  accompanied  by  Caesar,  who  was  sent  to  bring 
back  the  horses. 

Arriving   unheralded    at    the  camp    of   the    Vermont 


A  TALE    OF    THE    REBELLION.  135 

Brigade,  his  old  companions  in  arms  exhibited  almost  as 
much  surprise  and  alarm  as  Cassar  had  done.  Their  first 
excitement  over,  however,  they  gave  him  as  warm  a  welcome 
as  he  had  reason  to  expect. 

"  It's  a  waste  of  time  and  tears  to  mourn  for  you, 
Colonel,"  said  Hank.  "  We  could  have  made  a  great  saving 
if  we  had  only  known  that  bullets  cannot  hurt  you." 

*;  He  must  live  to  be  President.  It  is  written,"  said  Dr. 
Safford  solemnly. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  the  Brigade  left  the  Junction  and 
marched  to  Danville,  105  miles,  in  a  few  hours  more  than 
four  days.  From  Danville  they  moved  by  railroad  to  Man- 
chester. May  18th,  and  on  the  24th  marched  for  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.  They  went  into  camp  near  Munson's  Hill,  Va., 
and  remained  there  until  mustered  out  of  service. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  the  Vermont  Brigade  was  reviewed 
by  Gov.  Smith  at  Bailey's  Cross  Roads,  Va.,  and  on  the  8th 
the  Brigade  with  the  rest  of  the  Sixth  Corps  was  reviewed 
by  the  President  at  Washington.  On  the  24th  of  June, 
Brevet- Major  General  L.  A.  Grant  issued  his  final  address 
to  the  brigade  he  had  so  long  commanded,  and  on  the  28th 
of  June  1865,  the  Vermont  Brigade,  which  had  won  for 
itself  such  lasting  honor,  ceased  to  exist  as  an  organization. 
Its  members  returned  to  the  various  pursuits  of  private 
and  civil  life.  Like  streams  which  flow  into  and  combine 
with  the  waters  of  the  ocean,  the  returning  volunteers 
flowed  back  to  and  mingled  with  their  fellow-citizens  of  the 
republic,  forming  a  homogeneous  whole. 

Major  Merritt  won  fame  and  fortune  by  his  musical 
talents.  Capt.  Nason  invented  a  wonderful  churn,  and  was 
successful  in  persuading  the  farmers  to  buy  it.  Maj. 
Staples  studied  law  and  is  now  a  rising  man  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. Ewarts  has  been  governor  of  one  of  the  western 
states.  Condon  is  in  the  patent  medicine  business,  and  if 
his  advertisements  are  to  be  believed,  it  is  the  utmost  folly 
for  any  one  to  die  of  ».ny  manner  of  disease  whatever.  Dr. 
Safford  returned  to  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  a  quiet 
town  of  Windham  County,  and  still  drives  his  gig  along  the 
shady  mountain  roads  in  summer,  and  his  cutter  over  and 
through  the  snow  drifts  in  winter,  alleviating  the  distresses 
of  his  fellow  creatures.  By  way  of  amusement  he  cultivates 
flowers  in  their  season  and  indulges  his  literary  taste  with- 


136  THE  NORWICH  CADETS; 

out  regard  to  the  time  of  the  year.  His  poem,  "  The  Pro 
cesssion  of  the  Flowers, "  and  some  of  his  war-songs  ar< 
productions  of  decided  merit ;  but  though,  like  all  poets 
ki  fond  of  his  own  sweet  songs,"  he  is  fain  to  confess  tha 
Vermont  has  as  yefc  produced  no  poet  superior  to  Homer 
Private  Hank  Wait  is  tilling  the  paternal  acres  by  proxy 
and  has  more  than  regained  the  flesh  he  lost  in  his  country'! 
service. 

Lieut.  Joe  Safford,  twice  wounded  in  battle,  and  en 
feebled  by  hardship  and  exposure,  returned  home  with  i 
shattered  constitution,  and  was  not  able  to  check  the  slov 
but  determined  advance  of  the  enemy,  death.  Not  as  h< 
would  have  chosen  to  die,  in  the  excitement  of  battle,  bu 
quietly,  in  the  midst  of  mourning  friends,  bis  spirit  begai 
its  march  eternal.  His  body  rests  in  the  little  graveyard  a 
Greeenbush,  in  the  shadow7  of  the  beautiful  mountain,  whicl 
his  feet  in  boyhood  often  climbed. 

In  the  autumn  of  1865,  Col.  Lyon  went  down  to  Vir 
ginia  in  the  interests  of  union,  but  without  any  orders  fron 
government,  and  when  he  returned  to  Vermont  he  brough' 
Heloise  with  him  as  his  wife.  Col.  Wolfe  continued  at  th( 
South  for  a  year  or  two,  but  finally  yielded  to  the  solicita 
tions  of  his  friend  and  his  sister  and  came  North  to  resid( 
permanently.  The  Norwich  Cadets  entered  into  partner 
ship  in  one  of  our  most  beautiful  and  thriving  villages 
About  the  door  of  their  office  Caesar  is  generally  to  be  ob 
served  in  sunny  weather.  Above  the  door  a  sign  is  visible 
inscribed  "  Lyon  and  Wolfe."  The  initial  letters  of  thes( 
three  words  sufficiently  declare  the  business  done  within 
and  the  line  beneath  the  names  is  hardly  necessary,  so  wel 
are  our  heroes  known.  Eight  years  and  eight  days  have 
now  passed  since  Lee's  surrender,  and  the  name  of  Col 
Lyon  is  a  prominent  one  in  his  native  State.  There  is  stil 
time,  and  the  prospect  is  fair  that  the  prophecy  of  Dr.  Saf 
ford  will  be  fulfilled,  and  a  Norwich  Cadet  become  a  tenanl 
of  the  White  House  for  at  least  four  years.  It  is  certainly 
time  that  Vermont  should  have  a  chance  to  try  housekeep 
ing  there, 

THE   END, 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


Wi  lmer 
1143 
c.   2 


